Sports Law Lunch & Learn: FIFA and DRC update

 Speaker: Frans de Weger, legal counsel FBO, FIFA DRC Database

"Continuing their search for further professionalism, FIFA set up and created the Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) in 2001. This committee was established to resolve disputes regarding the international status and transfer of players. The DRC deals with legal disputes relating to labour disputes with an international dimension but also with respect to disputes concerning training compensation and solidarity contribution.

Ever since its first decision of 22 November 2002 until today, approximately more than 2,000 decisions of the DRC are published on the official website of FIFA. Due to the further internationalisation and the fact that the clubs and players are forced to comply with the DRC decisions (in order to avoid sporting sanctions such as transfer bans and deduction of points for clubs and restrictions for players to play official matches), the decisions of the DRC have a huge impact on international football and its participants.

After a short background and relevant procedural aspects of the DRC, to start with as an introduction, Frans de Weger (legal counsel Federatie van Betaald voetbal Organisaties (FBO) and author of 'The Jurisprudence of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber" and DRC Database ) will discuss the most recent and important decisions of the DRC per subject. For example, cases related to just causes to terminate contracts for clubs and players, such as performance related just causes, drugs abuse, injury, but also just causes related to outstanding salaries. Further to this, breach of contract, compensation issues, training compensation and solidarity mechanism matters, etc., will be brought to the attention."