Players fear consequences of speaking out

BBC News

3 days ago

Top footballers feel unable to speak out despite Fifa ignoring their "basic needs", according to world players union Fifpro. Alex Phillips, the general secretary of Fifpro, which represents 66,000 men's and women's players around the world, believes they are worried about potential backlash from clubs and governing bodies.Players have raised concerns with Fifpro about their lack of rest, caused by the number of games they play - especially given this season's expanded Club World Cup.Chelsea's final game of the season was their victory in the final of the Club World Cup on 13 July - only 35 days before the start of their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace. "Players are wary of speaking up because they don't have the power," said Philips. "Individually they might have wealth, the top 1%, but 99% of players don't have power apart from via their union or association."Before the Club World Cup I was speaking to some of the top stars and they were saying they hadn't had a rest for 'X' amount of time, and one said I only get a rest when I get injured. Others were resigned and cynical about speaking up. "Then you see some of the same players two weeks later having to record social media videos saying 'we think the Club World Cup is so great' because their employers tell them to do it and it's part of their job."You have this contradictory situation where players can't speak up. They are in an invidious position. They can speak up but it could have consequences."Fifpro also believes world governing body Fifa has adopted an "autocratic" approach to running the sport under president Gianni Infantino and is "turning a blind eye" to players' needs."Fifa continues to systematically ignore and silence the real issues players face in different parts of the world," Fifpro said following a meeting of 58 player unions in Amsterdam on Friday."It is unacceptable for an organisation that claims global leadership to turn a blind eye to the basic needs of the players."One clear example of this disconnect was the recent Club World Cup, celebrated by president Infantino despite being held under conditions that were extreme and inappropriate for any human being, demonstrating a troubling insensitivity to human rights, even when it concerns elite athletes."The player unions of Spain, Mexico, Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan were not invited to the meeting in the Netherlands, having attended Fifa's summit in New York earlier this month. Fifa held that meeting on the eve of the Club World Cup final, saying it had "addressed key issues concerning player health", including "critical matters related to the international match calendar".Fifpro, who filed a legal complaint against Fifa with the European Commission last year, was not invited.Phillips said: "Pretty much everyone interpreted this meeting and photo [of the attendees] as an attack on Fifpro. It's clearly understood this is an effort to try to create a problem within Fifpro."