The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in its judgement in the case of former Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Lassana Diarra against the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Royal Belgian Football Association, ruled on Friday that some FIFA transfer rules contravene EU law.
Lassana Diarra claims a potential deal with Belgian club Sporting du Pays de Charleroi collapsed because of the rules, and he sued FIFA and Belgian football’s governing body in a local court, seeking 6 million euros ($6.6 million) in damages and lost profits.
The French player claimed that finding a new club had proved difficult because, under FIFA rules, any new club would be jointly and severally liable with himself for the compensation owed to Lokomotiv Moscow. The EU court in Luxembourg said in a ruling on Friday:
“These rules prevent the free movement of players and competition between clubs.”
The EU court asked the Belgian tribunal to rule as the case concerns the bloc’s rules on freedom of movement.
Diarra is being represented by lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, thanks to whom players were able to change clubs at the end of their contracts without monetary compensation in 1995 after the Jean-Marc Bosman ruling.
Diarra finished his career in 2019. In addition to Lokomotiv, the footballer was a player of Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG and other clubs.
