Fifa hailing of Club World Cup 'a fiction' says player union
At the weekend, Fifa said there was a "consensus" with player unions that there should be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and players should have a rest period of at least 21 days at the end of each season. However, that is a week less than Fifpro had been asking for.Fifpro - which represents 66,000 men's and women's players around the world - has previously expressed concern about the extreme heat faced by players in the US during the tournament, demanding more flexibility from Fifa on kick-off times and protocols. Infantino has admitted that the heat was "an issue".But Marchi said, "the tournament was held under unacceptable conditions… that put the players' physical integrity at risk". He added: "This situation must not only be denounced, but must be firmly warned against. What happened cannot be repeated under any circumstances at next year's Fifa World Cup."We have been warning about the overcrowded schedule, the lack of physical and mental rest for players, and the lack of dialogue on the part of Fifa. This way of organising tournaments, without listening to the federation that represents the world's professional footballers' associations, is unilateral, authoritarian, and based solely on a logic of economic profitability, not human sustainability."We cannot continue to play with the health of players to fuel a marketing machine. There is no spectacle possible if the voices of the protagonists are silenced."Fifa has been approached for comment.
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