Euro law threat to football

The Sun Online - Football: Euro law threat to football: "EUROPE%u2019S major clubs will get the green light to form breakaway leagues if radical plans being discussed by the EU become law.

Franchising would also be given the thumbs-up, Celtic and Rangers would be free to join the Premiership and the Champions League could collapse.
All this could be the outcome of a legal shake-up which threatens to rip apart professional football.
A furious debate is raging in the European parliament over a working document, to be voted on early next year, which has been put forward by Dutch MEP Toine Manders and has sent shockwaves through the game.
Manders%u2019 document is one of four submitted by different EU departments concerning the future of the game, and is by far the most revolutionary.
It argues that under European legislation clubs, just like players, should be allowed complete freedom of movement.
That means Celtic and Rangers would be able to join the Premiership and there is nothing UEFA could do to prevent it.

The document says clubs are the same as companies and that, under the 1957 Treaty of Rome, they are entitled to trade where they wish.

Clubs could also establish competitions across Europe with any clubs they wanted without fear of sanction from UEFA or FIFA — a move that would herald the end of the Champions League.

Franchising could become commonplace because owners would be able to move a club to another country without retribution from the football authorities. Manders last night told SunSport that football had to get its head out of the sand and realise what could happen.

He said: “Although UEFA say clubs must stay within their rules and compete in their particular domestic leagues and European competitions, I am sure that if a club went to the European Courts of Justice arguing for free movement they would win.

“Football people are behaving like ostriches.”

English MEP Chris Heaton-Harris has been fighting the proposals.

Heaton-Harris, a qualified referee, warned: “I’m not sure people in the game realise how much influence European law could have here.

“This is going to go to the vote which could be very close and it needs to be opposed.

“If it succeeds it will lead to the collapse of the European football structure, the end of promotion and relegation and open the game up to franchising.

“It is a big concern for the future of football.”