Updated: May 21, 2007
Platini fears EU labour rules could harm game
LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - UEFA president Michel Platini says he fears for the future competitiveness of European football if national associations are forced to adopt EU rules on the free movement of labour.
At present sports bodies such as national football associations benefit from exemptions from European Commission competition rules, giving them leeway in setting their rules.
However, the EU are drawing up a white paper on sport which, if it went through, would undermine the 2000 Nice declaration which acknowledges the special status of sport in society.
Platini is concerned that such an eventuality would merely increase the gap between the game's major powers and the less well-off clubs.
'I am not confident. I hope they will listen to the world of sport,' Platini said in an interview with the Financial Times.
'I am very afraid of the bad decisions they will take for the future of sport. It's an important moment, and I hope they will understand what people want for the future of sport.
'It's sport, it is not a product. It is part of our life. If they say it is a product, it is the end of our sport.
'You can't kill the philosophy of 150 years of football, a social activity, because of a commissioner who has never played sport, because of the simple right that a sportsman is a worker.'
Platini, who was elected as UEFA's president in January, is also worried that the Charleroi case against FIFA could have serious ramifications for international football.
'We need to have a deal with all the (football) families and not have our problems in front of tribunals or courts in Brussels,' he said.
'Everybody is afraid of that. We don't know where we can go with that. The national associations are afraid of the Charleroi case which says a player can leave a national association. They are afraid, not just in England, but Georgia, France, even Brazil.'
The case of Belgian club Charleroi, who are backed by the G14 representing Europe's 18 richest clubs, was referred to Europe's highest court last week.
In the landmark case Charleroi are seeking compensation for a player injured while playing for his country.
'We never know what a judge will decide is the future in sport. I hope he will make a good decision,' Platini said.
Platini also called for FIFA to make rules on player transfers more uniform across the world, in the light of West Ham United's controversial signing of Argentine Carlos Tevez.
'Sometimes the players belong to agents, to companies, not to clubs. And it's very complicated. We need to regulate that in FIFA, but it's not so easy. The transfer system is FIFA's. We need to have a logical and uniform system all over the world.'
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