Latest news with #FIFPro
New York Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
FIFA criticized after dropping anti-racism messages at Club World Cup
FIFA has been criticised by anti-discrimination campaigners after football's world governing body decided against displaying messages challenging racism or discrimination at the Club World Cup in the U.S.. No videos, signage or marketing assets will be shown in venues hosting the tournament, despite promotional materials being developed in the build-up to the tournament to promote FIFA's 'no racism' and 'no discrimination' campaign. They are instead using the slogan from their less specific 'Football Unites the World' campaign. Advertisement The Athletic has been told by sources familiar with the discussions that the European Clubs Association, who represent the interests of clubs who compete in UEFA competitions and who have played a part in commercializing the Club World Cup with FIFA, were not consulted about any activations or campaigns that FIFA would or would not do during the tournament. Sources also said that FIFPro, the global body that represents professional football players, also had not received any information from FIFA on any type of overall anti-discrimination policy changes. FIFA did not respond when asked if the political climate in the U.S. — where President Trump has sought to cut government 'DEI programs' — has played any part in their decision but pointed to FIFA's statues, which say the organisation is neutral on matters of politics. Evan Whitfield, the chair of the Human Rights Soccer Alliance (HRSA), a US grouping of former players, NGOs, lawyers and grassroots soccer organisations established this year, spoke of his 'disappointment' at the lack of FIFA messaging. 'Soccer exists in a space where the values of non-discrimination and inclusion are clear, but they need to be consistently underlined to the world,' Whitfield said. 'A basic message of football unites the world doesn't achieve this clearly enough. And it certainly doesn't reflect the need for messaging amongst those who are coming new to soccer as a sport, or seeing a global soccer tournament for the first time. 'We hope this absence of messaging is not a precursor to the same at the World Cup next year. FIFA is a global organisation that should have consistent values regardless of the country in which it organises competitions. If FIFA can have strong messaging in Russia, Qatar, New Zealand, and Australia, then the same should apply in the United States. This is a soccer issue, regardless of the administration in power in the host country.' Advertisement Piara Powar of Fare added that the messages not being used was 'more than a shame' and added that his network had not been informed of the decision. 'It is disappointing that it appears there will be no anti-discrimination messaging throughout the Club World Cup,' Powar told The Athletic. 'In the past such messaging has been well received by supporters, players and civil society. It has allowed for an alignment of values from football to society. 'We know the work that has gone on behind the scenes with training of security, referees and players, and there is a system in place to be implemented in the event of issues of discrimination inside stadiums.' Powar added: 'We know that the US government is volatile and the need for pragmatism is a factor, but the iteration of consistent and progressive values by FIFA is so important.' Nick McGeehan of FairSquare, an advocacy group focused on human rights, points out that FIFA 'has set up a Social Responsibility and Education division within the organisation to address the issue' and therefore should be committed to its campaigns. 'This looks like FIFA again throwing its weight behind the MAGA (Make America Great Again, the political slogan most recently popularised by Donald Trump) project and ditching its principles in an effort to keep President Trump onside,' McGeehan said. At recent FIFA-run tournaments, such as the Women's World Cup in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand and the men's World Cup in 2022 in Qatar, messages promoting anti-racism and anti-discrimination were regularly displayed. There have been no announcements within Club World Cup stadiums explaining the anti-racism protocols or the organisation's 'universal anti-racism gesture' which was rolled out in September last year and was supposed to be applied to all competitions. Advertisement A FIFA spokesperson said: 'FIFA has a firm, zero-tolerance stance against all forms of discrimination and racism. This commitment was recently reinforced through the unanimous approval by the FIFA Council of the revised FIFA Disciplinary Code, which introduces new measures to fight racist abuse — including increased minimum bans for racist incidents and enhanced financial penalties as duly informed to the 75th FIFA Congress in Asuncion in May 2025.' (Top Image: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Research shows footballers need mid-season break says union
FIFPro has led criticism of the Club World Cup being crammed into an already overloaded schedule. (EPA Images pic) PARIS : Professional football must adopt match limits, mid-season breaks and compulsory summer holidays to safeguard players, a report commissioned by international union FIFPro said on Thursday. FIFPro said in a statement a study of 'calendar congestion and excessive workload' by 70 specialists working in professional men's football for clubs and national teams had recommended safety standards which, it said, international football lacks. It made 12 recommendations and highlighted several in a press release. These included mandatory four-week off-season breaks, with two of those commitment free and mandatory mid-season breaks. It also wanted minimum four-week retraining periods after off-season breaks before players return to competition. To manage travel fatigue management football should ensure rest periods after long-haul flights Specific workload safeguards should be introduced for players under 21. It also urged 'seasonal match limits and fixture congestion controls'. 'Decoding the human body, performance, and sport-related injuries will be a lifelong scientific exercise for all of us,' Darren Burgess, chair of the FIFPro high-performance advisory network, said. 'However, the results of this study show that there are certain minimum standards such as adequate rest between matches, and proper off-season breaks, that are common sense, aligned with scientific evidence and, above all, required by global occupational health and safety standards.' The Dutch-based organisation released the report three days before Sunday's kick off of FIFA's expanded mid-summer Club World Cup in the US. FIFPro has led criticism of the lucrative 32-team tournament which has been crammed into an already overloaded schedule.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
FIFPro says research shows footballers need mid-season break
Professional football must adopt match limits, mid-season breaks and compulsory summer holidays to safeguard players, a report commissioned by international union FIFPro said on Thursday. FIFPro said in a statement a study of 'calendar congestion and excessive workload' by 70 specialists working in professional men's football for clubs and national teams had recommended safety standards which, it said, international football lacks. It made 12 recommendations and highlighted several in a press release. These included mandatory four-week off-season breaks, with two of those commitment free and mandatory mid-season breaks. It also wanted minimum four-week retraining periods after off-season breaks before players return to competition To manage travel fatigue management football should ensure rest periods after long-haul flights Specific workload safeguards should be introduced for players under 21. It also urged 'seasonal match limits and fixture congestion controls'. 'Decoding the human body, performance, and sport-related injuries will be a lifelong scientific exercise for all of us,' Dr. Darren Burgess, Chair of the FIFPro High-Performance Advisory Network, said. ALSO READ | Who will play FIFA CWC 2025? 'However, the results of this study show that there are certain minimum standards such as adequate rest between matches, and proper off-season breaks, that are common sense, aligned with scientific evidence and, above all, required by global occupational health and safety standards.' The Dutch-based organisation released the report three days before Sunday's kick off of FIFA's expanded mid-summer Club World Cup in the United States. FIFPro has led criticism of the lucrative 32-team tournament which has been crammed into an already overloaded schedule.
News18
12-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
FIFPro Releases Report Slamming FIFA Over Congested Schedule; Demands Changes For Player Well-Being
Last Updated: FIFPro's report called for match limits, mid-season breaks, and mandatory summer holidays to protect footballers from excessive workload and calendar congestion. Enough is enough. Footballers, just like other athletes, deserve rest too. Professional football must introduce match limits, mid-season breaks, and compulsory summer holidays to protect players, a report commissioned by FIFPro stated on Thursday. FIFPro is the global players' union while European Leagues brings together more than one thousand clubs from 33 countries around Europe. Its member leagues include the English Premier League, as well as the leagues in Italy, Germany and France, but not La Liga, which joined the complaint separately. Citing recent European court rulings related to the breakaway Super League and the Lassana Diarra case, the FIFPro ealier last year had said FIFA's rules and conduct 'harm the economic interests of national leagues, and the health and safety of players in European football". 'A legal challenge before the European Commission has become a necessary course of action to safeguard the European football sector," they added. FIFA has been accused of a failure to consult over recent changes to the calendar, such as the introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup, which has drawn much criticism regarding player well-being. To substantiate their earlier grievances, FIFPro now announced that a study on 'calendar congestion and excessive workload" by 70 specialists working in professional men's football for clubs and national teams recommended safety standards, which, according to the report, international football currently lacks. The report made 12 recommendations and highlighted several in a press release. These included mandatory four-week off-season breaks, with two of those weeks being commitment-free, and compulsory mid-season breaks. It also advocated for a minimum four-week retraining period after off-season breaks before players return to competition. On top of it all, in order to manage travel fatigue, the report mentioned that governing bodies should ensure rest periods after long-haul flights. It was also noted that specific workload safeguards should be introduced for players under 21, while urging 'seasonal match limits and fixture congestion controls" across all levels of football. FIFPro has led criticism of the lucrative 32-team tournament, which has been crammed into an already overloaded schedule. The FIFA Club World Cup is set to take place from June 14. First Published: June 12, 2025, 18:32 IST
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
FIFPro study calls for mandatory four-week off-season break for all players
The biggest players' union in football is calling for the introduction of a mandatory four-week off-season break to safeguard against excessive workloads at the elite level. Ahead of FIFA's Club World Cup beginning in the U.S. this weekend — a revamped competition that has increased the strain on an already congested calendar — FIFPro has published the results of a new independent study of 70 performance and medical experts that advocates greater protections to its members. Advertisement Twelve recommendations have been put forward, including a minimum four-week rest period between seasons and a further four-week period of retraining before a new season begins. It is also proposed that a mid-season break of at least one clear week is also guaranteed, as well as specific workload safeguards being introduced for those under the age of 18, such as Barcelona and Spain prodigy Lamine Yamal. FIFPro says the study 'represents the most extensive expert consensus to date', with all of those taking part anonymously either employed by a football club or national team. Over 75 per cent agreement was required from the pool of experts to establish each of the final recommendations. 'This study presents safety standards based on the considered and independent opinions of medical and performance experts working in professional football who understand the mental and physical strain placed on players,' Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPro medical director, said in the organisation's statement. 'If we can all agree that health comes first, then we should take steps to implement these safeguards.' FIFPro, which represents more than 65,000 professional players in men's and women's football, has long pushed for tighter limits on workloads in an age of expanded competitions. This season brought an additional two group games in UEFA's Champions League and Europa League, while it will end with FIFA's new Club World Cup, a tournament involving 32 teams over a 29-day period. Next summer will also see the World Cup — played across the United States, Canada and Mexico — increase to a 64-team event. The four-week rest period and four-week pre-season supported by FIFPro is common for the majority of players in Europe's top leagues, but a major tournament summer, including the Club World Cup, makes it increasingly impractical for those with additional commitments. FIFA's Club World Cup will run until the final on July 13, less than five weeks before the Premier League and La Liga begin their 2025-26 seasons on the weekend of August 16-17. Last summer, players who featured in UEFA's European Championship typically had a three-week summer before embarking on a shortened pre-season. Advertisement FIFPro's study also advocates greater consideration of travel burdens in scheduling, mandatory rest each week, and 'specific' workload safeguards for under-18s. There is also a belief that there should be a mid-season break, something the Premier League removed last season in favour of a longer summer. FIFPro Europe has already drawn battlelines against FIFA during the past 12 months as it attempts to force change. As well as supporting a legal case brought by the English Professional Footballers' Association and its French and Italian counterparts at the Brussels Court of Commerce last June, FIFPro then joined forces with Europe's major leagues to file a separate legal complaint against FIFA with the European Commission in October. Both were designed to challenge what it claimed was FIFA's ability to 'unilaterally' set the international match calendar. FIFA has consistently maintained that its own competitions are not the problem and that any fixture congestion stems primarily from club competitions staged domestically and in Europe. 'Let us be clear: the FIFA Club World Cup is not responsible for calendar congestion,' said a FIFA spokesperson. 'It is a competitive tournament that takes place once every four years with a maximum of seven matches only for the two teams who reach the final. 'As independent studies have verified, FIFA is only responsible for a small percentage of matches per season. More precisely, less than 1 per cent as far as clubs are concerned.' Two of the extreme workload cases that prompted this latest scientific study are those of Julian Alvarez and Bruno Fernandes. Here, we look at their examples in more detail. When FIFPro furrows its brow at the increasing demands placed upon players, Alvarez is the poster boy for concerns. Advertisement The forward, who will spearhead Atletico Madrid's attack at the Club World Cup, has effectively not stopped playing since the summer of 2023. An extraordinary schedule saw him play a full season with Manchester City in 2023-24, before then being part of Argentina's squads at both the Copa America and the Paris Olympics. FIFPro's most recent workload report found Alvarez was included in 83 matchday squads last season, with 75 appearances made for club and country. The last of those in Paris was followed by an £82million ($111m) move to Atletico and a subsequent debut 17 days later. Another 64 appearances have already been made this season following Argentina's 1-1 draw with Colombia on Tuesday, a World Cup qualifier that precedes what could be an extended spell in the U.S. for the Club World Cup, where as many as seven more games could be played. Only then will the 25-year-old get a break, with the La Liga season beginning again on August 17. 'The players' ability to rest and recover is increasingly diminished, which in turn could impact their long-term career longevity,' said FIFPro's report. Alvarez has seldom been afforded that luxury of rest. Portugal's victory over Spain in the Nations League final on Sunday finally wrapped up Fernandes' season almost 10 months after it began with Manchester United's Community Shield defeat by Manchester City. That demanding schedule included 66 appearances for club and country, a figure that would have been higher without suspensions picked up in the first half of the season. It also overlooks United's post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong last month that immediately preceded his latest international commitments. Long cup runs, both domestically and in Europe, have added to Fernandes' workload since joining United from Sporting CP in 2020 and he now stands clear of the pack for minutes played at an elite level. According to data from Opta, Fernandes has played 17 more club games than any other player in Europe's big five leagues since the start of the 2020-21 season. In that same timeframe, the 30-year-old has played 22,823 minutes of football, which is 1,247 (almost 14 whole games) more than the next busiest, Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro. Fernandes has played 329 games for club and country in the past five seasons, making the rest he will enjoy over the next month a rarity. (Top photos: Getty Images)
