International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) have called for the end of blackmail behaviour against professional footballers.
FIFPro is an international organization that represents professional football players.
The players' union have specifically pointed the finger at the Spanish club, Athletic Bilbao, and accused them of blackmailing the striker, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fernando-Llorente-c13671.
Llorente has refused to extend his contract with the Basque club. Since then the player’s relationship with the club and especially his coach, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marcelo-c23554 Bielsa, has deteriorated.
Since then, the forward was relegated to a role on the bench.
Now, FIFPro has called for an end to the ‘blackmailing behaviour’ against Llorente by Bilbao.
A statement from the union has read that they want to voice their concerns to all the organizations that govern and associate with the sport.
They want to see FIFA and UEFA adjust their measures against this growing trend and ensure the player’s rights are not violated.
“FIFPro wants to talk to FIFA, UEFA and the European Commission about measures to adjust the behaviour of a growing number of clubs.”
The organization has stated that this trend is increasing and now a lot of professional footballers are pressured to extend their contracts with their respective clubs.
“FIFPro signals a growing number of players who are put under pressure to prolong their contract. For clubs, football seems to have become more like business.”
Moreover, the statement read that this occurrence is not something new. They have revealed the strategy clubs use against professional footballers and said that whenever the player refuses to extend his contract, he is simply put on the bench.
“This is no new phenomenon. A club forces a player with a contract nearing expiry to sign a new contract. If the player refuses, the club puts him on the reserve bench or in the grandstand.”
According to FIFPro, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Wesley-Sneijder-c36799, is also facing the same situation. And what is more concerning is that many clubs are now adopting this practice.
“Sneijder and Llorente are not the only players. This type of practice used to be an exception.”
49 different national players' associations are currently members of this organization.
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