- West Ham vice-chairman Karen Brady holds grave fears about Diarra’s case
- Brady believes the ruling could spark ‘completely anarchy’ in the transfer market
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West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady insists the landmark ruling regarding the Lassana Diarra case ‘has got everybody worried’.
The European Court of Justice ruled on Friday some of FIFA’s rules on player transfers are contrary to European Union legislation relating to competition and freedom of movement.
The judgment came after former France international Diarra legally challenged FIFA rules following a dispute with a club dating to a decade ago.
He argued FIFA’s restrictions meant he was unable to find a new club after his contract with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow was terminated in 2014.
FIFA’s rules state that if a player terminates his contract without ‘just cause’, the player and any club wishing to sign him are jointly liable for paying compensation to the previous club.
The European Court of Justice handed down a historic ruling regarding FIFA player transfer rules on Friday
The case was brought forward by Diarra over a decade-long dispute with a Russian club
West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady holds grave fears over what the ruling will mean
The ruling is seen as crucial because it could make it easier for players to terminate their contracts and join another team.
With players potentially now able to hold all the cards, Brady holds grave fears about what it could mean for the transfer system going forward.
‘The outcome of the Lassana Diarra case has got everybody worried,’ Brady wrote in a column for The Sun.
‘But one thing is for certain: if a player has the right to terminate their contracts because they want to go elsewhere, then so would their club.
‘And the result of that would be complete chaos and anarchy.’
Brady added: ‘If players can simply break their contracts and move around the world the entire system will collapse.’
The Hammers vice-chairman also protested what the ruling would mean for clubs lower down in the English football pyramid.
Several…