FIFA plan crackdown on agents with new licence idea

FIFA said Thursday they plan to reinstate a licence for players' agents, banning anyone who has been convicted of "corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, sexual abuse or harassment."

The project started in 2018 and which has major financial implications, should result in a vote by the FIFA Congress and come into force in September 2021.

"We open today the consultation process and before summer, between March and June, the FIFA congress should adopt it. It should be in place as from September 2021," said Emilio Garcia, FIFA's Chief Legal and Compliance Officer.

"We have done our homework, prepared our documents. We think that our draft regulations are in line with Swiss law and with European law."

FIFA, who insist on wanting to "improve transparency and protect players," want to reverse the deregulation of the transfer market completed by the removal in 2015 of the player's agent licence which was at the time being regulated by national bodies.

Faced with the proliferation of intermediaries with varying skill levels, FIFA say potential agents must undergo an initial examination and then annually accrue training "credits".

Candidates must have professional insurance and "never have been convicted of corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, sexual abuse or harassment".

This plan to regulate players' agents has been on FIFA's 'to-do' list since 2018.

Under the new plans, commission will be capped at six per cent of the total amount of a player's contracted salary or 10 per cent of the transfer amount if the agent is paid by the selling club.

The aim is to avoid arrangements such as the transfer of Paul Pogba from Juventus to Manchester United in 2016, for which his agent Mino Raiola reportedly received 49 million euros from the three parties, according to revelations from Football Leaks.

However, the subject promises to be an explosive issue.

As early as last year, the Football Agents Forum (FAF), chaired by Raiola, had threatened FIFA with a legal challenge over the capping of commission, seeing it as a violation of freedom of competition.

"Sometimes, big numbers can cause the agent to not act in the best interests of their clients," said James Kitching, FIFA's director of football regulation.

In addition, FIFA said they intend to limit transactions related to transfers organised through a "clearing house".

They also want to limit conflicts of interest by prohibiting "triple representation", a practice illustrated by the transfer of Pogba and which allowed the agent to be paid both by the player, the selling club and the buyer's club.