POSTED: Thursday February 26th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

According to legal experts, 6+5 is compatible with European law

INEA press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels today, 26 February

 
INEA (the Institute for European Affairs) presented its conclusions on the research it has conducted into the compatibility of the 6+5 rule with European law at a press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels today, 26 February (see media release by INEA - http://www.fifa.com/mm//Document/AFFederation/Federation/01/03/26/40/INEA_Media_release_E.pdf).
 
This study, which was carried out at FIFA’s request by five professors who are all experts on European law, concludes that the number of players who are not eligible for the national team of the country of their club can indeed be regulated and limited, as this does not breach European law.
 
“This study confirms that we are not breaching European law in defending the 6+5 rule. On behalf of FIFA and its member associations, I would like to express my pleasure at this finding. Through 6+5, we wish to encourage the development of young players, protect national teams and maintain competitiveness and the unpredictability of results. This is why 6+5 is beneficial to football. It is also supported by the IOC and has been ratified by other team sports, such as basketball, handball, ice hockey, rugby and volleyball, which all face the same problems,” said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.
 
 
 
Further information from:

FIFA Media Department – tel.: +41-43/222 7272, fax: +41-43 222 7373 ; e-mail: media@fifa.org

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Keywords · FIFA · INEA · soccer

Name: Nicolas Maingot
Organization: FIFA
Email:
Phone: +41-43/222 7272
URL: http://www.fifa.com/index.html

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