Striani opens second front on legal challenge to UEFA’s break-even rule
Belgian player agent Daniel Striani is continuing his challenge of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rule today by launching a legal action in the Court of First Instance in Brussels. The process will ask the Court to judge on alleged infringements of both EU competition law and the right to free movement (of workers, services and capital).
Striani’s legal team is led by Jean-Louis Dupont, the Belgian sports competition lawyer, who was part of the legal team that secured the Bosman ruling on player contracts in 1995. He also led the Meca-Medina case and, for G-14, the Charleroi case.
Since UEFA’s rule affects all football clubs, players and staff within the European Union, Striani is arguing that the Court of First Instance of Brussels seeks from the European Union Court of Justice a preliminary ruling on its compatibility with EU law (specifically free movement of workers, services, capital, and free competition).
Striani’s case argues that the UEFA rule is illegal under EU law because it is a disproportionate response and that there are more effective alternatives such as allowing over-spending if fully guaranteed; establish a "luxury tax"; or change the model of revenue sharing with regards to the UEFA club competitions.
This latest legal process is supported by a growing body of economic and legal opinion which argues that the UEFA rule is ineffective, illegal and disproportionate given alternative measures available.