European Parliament debates regulating Football Players’ Agents

As we all watch the World Cup, we should reflect that Europe is lucky that some of the most talented sports men and women come from all over the world to compete here. Unsurprisingly, the increased internationalisation of sport of over the last few years has seen a steady increase in the activities of players’ agents across borders.

However, this is still a largely unregulated area across many member states, with general employment laws being used to regulate the activities of players’ agents, with no specific rules or legal recognition of their status, or for sports governing bodies to introduce their own regulations.

Unfortunately this has led to some abuse, with reports of corruption, money laundering and exploitation of underage players.

Leaving regulation up to organisations like FIFA, though they have done what they can and should be commended, is not enough as breaches of their regulations cannot be prosecuted in a criminal court.

It is very important to regulate this area or we risk seeing it being taken over by the dishonest and the criminal.

It is especially important to take care of young sportsmen and women, who may be coming from the least developed countries, who could find themselves particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

I am sure that all the countries in Europe want to remain an attractive prospect for talented sports men and women from across the world.  To make remains the case,  we must regulate players’ agents.  I f we do not, we will risk bringing sport in Europe in to disrepute.

Following the efforts of the Culture Committee, the oral debate on the issue of players’ agents in sport took place in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week.  I spoke in the debate, which achieved a high level of agreement, the only dissenting voice being Emma McClarkin, the Tory speaker who did not see a European role for cross border regulation.