FIFA orders the MFA to revoke its ‘illicit’, ‘archaic’ parameters system

FIFA, the world’s governing football body, has ordered the Malta Football Association to abolish parameters in football contracts, a system described by the Malta Football Player’s Association (MFPA) as “illicit” and “archaic”.

Celebrating the news, the MFPA said that in a letter dated 28 June, FIFA had explicitly ordered the MFA to amend its rules and remove the parameters system as it goes against FIFA’s principles.

The parameters system in essence requires that a transfer fee must be paid for a player to be able to register with a new club, even if that player’s contract has expired and even if that player – male or female – plays at an amateur level and makes no money whatsoever from the sport.

This system was phased out of football worldwide after the landmark Bosman ruling 24 years ago, where the European Court of Justice held that it restricted freedom of movement of workers and was hence prohibited as per the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

The ruling effectively meant that clubs could no longer block a move or demand a fee, from the player or from the destination club, if the player left at the end of their contracts. It was implemented across the whole of the European Union – save for Malta, which today still utilises the parameters system which JeanMarc Bosman had fought against.

In fact it is not an altogether uncommon case within the football scene to hear of players who stopped playing football entirely as they were not allowed to leave their current club without another club paying an exorbitant transfer fee, even if that player’s contract is expired. In their statement following FIFA’s letter in fact, the MFPA said that even though FIFA had changed its rules to comply with the Bosman ruling, the MFA had not and still retains an “illicit system, hampering player development”.

However, now, following insistence by the MFPA and FIFPro – the global organisation representing football players, FIFA has now stipulated to the MFA that the system needs to be abolished.

“MFPA, despite it not having any voting power within the MFA, is continuously driving change in Maltese football. Not only will this benefit players and their families, but, in the long run, it will serve to raise the standards of Maltese football,” the MPFA said.

“The work of a players’ union is not easy. We run into the wall often, but we keep on running until the wall breaks.”