FIFA On-Line

home

FIFA en Español | service centre | football family | competitions | site map

Home


FIFA Secretariat President General Secretary FIFA House Executive committee Competitions Korea/Japan 2001 Argentina 2001 FIFA World Cup" FIFA "A" Matches Regulations FIFA World Cup" Status & Transfer of Football Players Players' Agents Directories Committees Confederations Associations FIFA Referees Player Agents Match Agents Player of the Year Site Map Laws of the Game 2001 Edition Questions & Answers Milestones Futsal About FIFA Inside FIFA History of FIFA Fact Sheets FIFA Survey Fair Play History of the Game

FIFA Executive Committee formally approves new international transfer regulations

Meeting on 5 July 2001 in Buenos Aires, the FIFA Executive Committee formally approved the revised international transfer regulations.

The Committee, chaired by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, thus concluded more than one year of work and intensive negotiations. The international transfer regulations had been amended following the agreement reached with the European Union authorities past March in Brussels. The Executive Committee set 1 September this year as the latest possible date for the implementation. FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen added that the new code would be subject to review by FIFA after two years.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter speaks during a press conference in Buenos Aires Photo Rickey Rogers, Reuters

The Executive Committee also addressed the events of the past few weeks and months concerning the bankruptcy of the ISL/ISMM company and was assured by the report of the Finance Committee that FIFA's financial situation continues to be stable. The President stated that legal discussions in the past few days had ensured there would be no danger of FIFA's various marketing and broadcasting rights failing to revert to FIFA for exploitation itself, and he reiterated that the anticipated loss for FIFA as a result of ISL's bankruptcy would not exceed 51 million Swiss Francs.

The newly proposed structure of the recently created FIFA Marketing Ltd. was approved by the Committee.

It was confirmed that earlier this week, the Kirch company had exercised its option to take over the non-European TV rights for the 2002 World Cup and other FIFA competitions.

Following an extensive debate on the cancellation of this year's Club World Championship, it was agreed to give a total of USD 750,000 to each of the 12 teams due to have played in the tournament. USD 500,000 have already been paid to the clubs. 1 million USD will be given to the Spanish Football Federation (which was due to host the event). Any further compensation will be dependent upon FIFA's negotiations with the Traffic agency, with whom it was decided to terminate the TV and marketing agreement for this competition.

With regard to the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, a generally very positive report mentioned that that ticket sales in Japan and internationally were exceeding expectations, while those in Korea were to be intensified nearer the Final Draw in Busan on 1 December.

The Committee agreed that sanctions imposed on players at the national level for doping offences should be extended automatically by FIFA worldwide. This will apply also to cases where the original sanction has been imposed only provisionally.

FIFA and AFC will send a delegation shortly to investigate the situation in Lebanon, where the national association has been suspended by FIFA following the problems encountered with the federation.