FIFPro has urged FIFA to change its transfer rules due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The global players’ union wants to make it possible for foreign players in Russia to cancel their contracts free of charge. FIFA and UEFA issued a joint statement on Monday evening in which they announced that they would exclude all Russian teams from both national and international football until further notice.
“The increasingly escalating conflict seems to us to be a reason to be able to terminate the contract without having to pay compensation to the club,” FIFPro board member Louis Everard explains the position of the players’ union. “We are now discussing this. This must be arranged as soon as possible.” Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow) and Gyrano Kerk (Lokomotiv Moscow) are among the 133 foreign players at the highest level in Russia. Guus Til and Jorrit Hendrix (both Spartak Moscow) are also under contract in the former Soviet Union, but have been leased to Feyenoord this season.
Everard is hopeful that FIFA will adjust the current transfer rules, as the World Football Association has already done so because of the corona crisis. Because many competitions had to be stopped, his matches continued into the summer. Many player contracts would have already expired, were it not for FIFA to ensure that they were automatically extended. “The FIFA board can adjust the regulations in emergency situations, that was also apparent at the time,” Everhard looks back. “Given the extremely worrying situation, we believe that players should have the freedom to leave the country. We want clarity about this as soon as possible.”
Long before the statement by FIFA and UEFA on Monday, FIFPro expressed its surprise at why Russian teams and directors had not yet been excluded from (inter)national football. The players’ union rallied behind any football body that decided not to play against Russian teams anymore. If FIFA responds to FIFPro’s call, about two hundred players could leave Russia for free.