Sport

Lucrative deals may slip through union net due to Kahn's action

The association of national player unions, FIFPro this week held its annual conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sat Nov 29 2003 - 00:00

The association of national player unions, FIFPro this week held its annual conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ireland's representative, as he has been since the first conference, was the PFAI's general-secretary, Fran Gavin. It has been a vital conference, according to Gavin, as FIFPro, led by the English PFA's Gordon Taylor, is currently at a crucial period of its existence.

"A lot of countries now want to join FIFPro," says Gavin. (There were 39 members plus three probationary ones at this year's conference), "and the organisation recognises that it has to modernise and change to accommodate the huge growth that is going to occur over the next few years".

The power and clout that FIFPro has within the game was most obvious when the Bosman ruling threatened to collapse the structures of football altogether in 1995.

FIFA's president Sepp Blatter was keen at the time of the ruling to come to some deal on what kind of system would be workable and through negotiations and discussions with FIFPro, the current transfer system was agreed upon.

READ MORE

While countries recognise the power and group strength that FIFPro brings, it is perhaps its commercial strength that is most attractive to prospective countries. Sony, EA Sports and Konami have all signed multi-million dollar deals with FIFPro for the use of player names in their computer games, money which is filtered back down to its members.

It is upon such funding that the PFAI is able to continue its work, although Gavin wistfully points out that if League of Ireland clubs were to become more successful in European competition then the league would be included in the computer games and the PFAI would get an extra £140,000 funding.

However, such deals could be on the verge of collapse thanks in no small part to the outspoken and controversial Oliver Kahn. The German and Bayern Munich goalkeeper has already taken and won a case against FIFPro for the use of his name and image, but FIFPro are currently in discussions with Kahn to attempt to come to some solution.

If Kahn wins, his successful solo run against his players union will threaten the collective bargaining agreement that FIFPro has built itself upon and any multi-million dollar deals previously signed will be very much in question.