ECJ adviser backs UEFA block on Barca-Juve-Real Madrid Super League breakaway
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – Those still backing the seemingly doomed European Super League have received a hammer blow after the leading adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled against them today – a historic decision for the future of European football.
UEFA was brought before the ECJ in July after rebel Super League rebel clubs accused it of abusing its power to block rival events and penalize players and clubs.
But the long-awaited opinion of the ECJ's Advocate General said that the power of FIFA and UEFA to prevent teams from joining breakaway leagues is compatible with EU competition law 'EU.
In the court's most anticipated sporting decision since the Bosman ruling in 1995, Athanasios Rantos backed UEFA over Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus who had accused the governing body of running a monopoly and create a cartel.
Although a final decision will not be made until next spring and Rantos' advice is not binding, his position represents a major victory for UEFA in terms of preserving the status quo and seems to dash any hopes that the rebellious clubs could have in the creation a competition by breakaway.
"The Fifa-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law," Rantos told the ECJ in Luxembourg.
Another ECJ press release stated that "while the ESLC (European Super League Company) is free to create its own independent football competition outside of the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, however, it may not, alongside the creation of such a competition, continue to participate in football competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorization of these federations."
A 50-page document will be released later today setting out the reasons in more detail, but UEFA were quick to "warmly welcome" the Advocate General's opinion, while the The European Club Association, which represents over 200 clubs, also declared it a victory.
A UEFA statement said: "UEFA welcomes today's unequivocal opinion from Advocate General Rantos, which is an encouraging step towards preserving the dynamic governance structure and democratic structure of the European football pyramid.
"The opinion reinforces the central role of the federations in the protection of sport, respect for the fundamental principles of sporting merit and open access to our members, as well as the union of football with shared responsibility and the solidarity."
He added: "Football in Europe remains united and strongly opposed to the ESL, or any such disruptive proposal, which would threaten the entire European sports ecosystem."
The European Super League collapsed in less than 48 hours last year following a backlash from a host of stakeholders that forced nearly all of the original participants out.< /p>
A22, a Madrid-based company that worked with the original 12 breakaway clubs, has spent months trying to resuscitate the Super League plan, even saying it was ready to scrap the original idea of a closed competition that had sparked widespread furor.
But Europe's top clubs and leagues have joined UEFA in hailing today's hugely important development which will privately come as a huge relief to UEFA in maintaining the Champions League which is due for a major upgrade after 2024.
"Today's opinion by ECJ Advocate General Rantos offers a clear rejection of the efforts of the few to undermine the foundations and historic legacy of European football for the many," said declared the ECA.
"As the body representing nearly 250 of Europe's top football clubs, the ECA is explicit in its strong opposition to those few stakeholders who seek to disrupt European club football and undermine the values that underpin it. The opinion published today by Advocate General Rantos reinforces ECA's longstanding opposition to the European Super League and any separatist plans."
"A lot of positive reforms and progress have been made by ECA in collaboration with UEFA over the past few years, to the benefit of the entire European football ecosystem. ECA now awaits the Court's final decision and, in the meantime, will continue to defend the best interests of all our members - the clubs that make European club football the best in the world."
In their own statement, the European Leagues - the umbrella body for domestic leagues across the continent - said the latest decision "protects fundamental principles of the sports pyramid model such as open competition and qualification for international competitions via annual league sporting merits.”
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1671267421labto1671267421ofdlr1671267421owedi1671267421sni@w1671267421ahsra1671267421w.wer1671267421dna1671267421
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By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – Those still backing the seemingly doomed European Super League have received a hammer blow after the leading adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled against them today – a historic decision for the future of European football.
UEFA was brought before the ECJ in July after rebel Super League rebel clubs accused it of abusing its power to block rival events and penalize players and clubs.
But the long-awaited opinion of the ECJ's Advocate General said that the power of FIFA and UEFA to prevent teams from joining breakaway leagues is compatible with EU competition law 'EU.
In the court's most anticipated sporting decision since the Bosman ruling in 1995, Athanasios Rantos backed UEFA over Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus who had accused the governing body of running a monopoly and create a cartel.
Although a final decision will not be made until next spring and Rantos' advice is not binding, his position represents a major victory for UEFA in terms of preserving the status quo and seems to dash any hopes that the rebellious clubs could have in the creation a competition by breakaway.
"The Fifa-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law," Rantos told the ECJ in Luxembourg.
Another ECJ press release stated that "while the ESLC (European Super League Company) is free to create its own independent football competition outside of the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, however, it may not, alongside the creation of such a competition, continue to participate in football competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorization of these federations."
A 50-page document will be released later today setting out the reasons in more detail, but UEFA were quick to "warmly welcome" the Advocate General's opinion, while the The European Club Association, which represents over 200 clubs, also declared it a victory.
A UEFA statement said: "UEFA welcomes today's unequivocal opinion from Advocate General Rantos, which is an encouraging step towards preserving the dynamic governance structure and democratic structure of the European football pyramid.
"The opinion reinforces the central role of the federations in the protection of sport, respect for the fundamental principles of sporting merit and open access to our members, as well as the union of football with shared responsibility and the solidarity."
He added: "Football in Europe remains united and strongly opposed to the ESL, or any such disruptive proposal, which would threaten the entire European sports ecosystem."
The European Super League collapsed in less than 48 hours last year following a backlash from a host of stakeholders that forced nearly all of the original participants out.< /p>
A22, a Madrid-based company that worked with the original 12 breakaway clubs, has spent months trying to resuscitate the Super League plan, even saying it was ready to scrap the original idea of a closed competition that had sparked widespread furor.
But Europe's top clubs and leagues have joined UEFA in hailing today's hugely important development which will privately come as a huge relief to UEFA in maintaining the Champions League which is due for a major upgrade after 2024.
"Today's opinion by ECJ Advocate General Rantos offers a clear rejection of the efforts of the few to undermine the foundations and historic legacy of European football for the many," said declared the ECA.
"As the body representing nearly 250 of Europe's top football clubs, the ECA is explicit in its strong opposition to those few stakeholders who seek to disrupt European club football and undermine the values that underpin it. The opinion published today by Advocate General Rantos reinforces ECA's longstanding opposition to the European Super League and any separatist plans."
"A lot of positive reforms and progress have been made by ECA in collaboration with UEFA over the past few years, to the benefit of the entire European football ecosystem. ECA now awaits the Court's final decision and, in the meantime, will continue to defend the best interests of all our members - the clubs that make European club football the best in the world."
In their own statement, the European Leagues - the umbrella body for domestic leagues across the continent - said the latest decision "protects fundamental principles of the sports pyramid model such as open competition and qualification for international competitions via annual league sporting merits.”
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1671267421labto1671267421ofdlr1671267421owedi1671267421sni@w1671267421ahsra1671267421w.wer1671267421dna1671267421
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