Diarra case: former footballer demands €65m from FIFA and Belgian FA | OneFootball

Lassana Diarra renews his legal battle against FIFA and the Belgian Football Federation, advancing a compensation claim of 65 million gross euros (35 million net).

Diarra case, the former footballer asks for 65 million from FIFA and the Belgian Football Federation

The calculation of the figure was entrusted to Compass Lexecon, a world leader in assessing damages resulting from violations of competition law, with the support of FIFPRO Europe and FIFPRO World.

The genesis of the dispute

The dispute has old origins: it all started in August 2014, when Diarra decided to terminate his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow after just one year of a four-year agreement. FIFA considered the player's choice a "without just cause" breach, imposing a sanction of 10 million euros plus a sports suspension, subsequently confirmed by the CAS in 2016. The case was further complicated by the application of Article 17 of the FIFA Regulations, which provides for so-called joint liability: in essence, even the club that had registered Diarra would have been called to answer for the sums due to the previous club.

The turning point of the European Court of Justice

Last October, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that some FIFA rules on player transfers violate fundamental principles of community law, in particular:

Free movement of workers

Free competition

The Court highlighted how FIFA's criteria for determining compensation in the event of early contractual termination are vague, unpredictable, and not transparent, effectively limiting the right of players to terminate the contract without just cause. Paragraph 145 of the judgment clearly emphasizes that the same labor law rules apply in football as in other sectors: compensation must be calculated in a clear and proportional manner.

Diarra's statements

The former French midfielder justified his battle as follows:

"I do it for myself, but also for all emerging and lesser-known players who do not have the means to challenge FIFA in court. Despite the changes made by FIFA to the regulations, these do not meet the requirements imposed by the CJEU. My action now continues in the Belgian national courts, with the support of FIFPRO Europe, FIFPRO, and UNFP."

Diarra also recalled the initiative of the 'Justice for Players' foundation, created after his victory in front of the CJEU, which allows players to initiate collective actions without advancing legal costs or revealing their identity.

The implications for European football

The Diarra case represents a turning point for players and FIFA regulations. The CJEU ruling has reaffirmed that even in professional football, the rules must respect the principles of community law, transparency, and proportionality. The outcome of the case could have repercussions on numerous future contracts and transfers, redefining the limits of FIFA discipline in terms of transfers and contractual compensation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.