In his address at the UEFA Congress in Astana, Michel Platini, the president of UEFA, highlighted the serious danger posed by the ownership of players by third parties (TPO) in football. He urged FIFA President Joseph Blatter, who was present at the congress, to have the political courage to address this issue.
Platini emphasized that TPO, also known as Third Party Ownership, undermines the integrity of the sport and must be addressed urgently. He recalled his own experience as a player and how he advocated for players’ freedom from club ownership. However, he lamented that players are now being controlled by opaque companies based in tax havens, often at the expense of their careers and well-being.
Platini criticized the exploitation of players as commodities by unscrupulous individuals and urged Blatter to take decisive action on a global scale. He called for regulations to prevent players from being transferred solely for financial gain, emphasizing the need for political courage to confront this issue.
Furthermore, Platini warned that if FIFA fails to act, UEFA will take measures to address TPO within its own competitions in Europe. He made it clear that UEFA is committed to combating these practices and will not tolerate being complicit in them.
Tags: football, Joseph Blatter, players, Michel Platini, private property, UEFA
