Can find outside help
Recently, Vietnamese football has emerged the story of Quang Ninh Coal Club facing the risk of dissolving due to difficult financial situation. The team's leaders have sent a document requesting a return to Quang Ninh province, while the latest response from the province requires "the right to dissolve but before that, the enterprise must fully pay the salary regime, other regimes and unemployment benefits to employees in accordance with the provisions of the Bankruptcy Law".
With this decision, it is really difficult for the players as well as the club's staff and workers to receive what belongs to them. Legal issues have also been considered, but in the situation of the company being helpless and having to file a petition to return the team, hope is too uncertain.
However, players can also find help from the World Football Federation (FIFA) and the World Players' Association (FIFPRO).
Accordingly, since February 2020, the two organizations have reached an agreement to establish a FIFA Fund for Football Players (FIFA FFP), to provide financial support to players who are not paid and do not have the opportunity to receive a salary agreed with their clubs.
FIFA has set aside $16 million for the fund through 2022, with the allocation as follows: $3 million in 2020, $4 million in 2021 and $4 million in 2022. In addition, there is also a reward of US$5 million for player salary protection from July 2015 to June 2020.
The fund was established after reports - including the 2016 Global Employment Report: Working Conditions in Professional Football, by FIFPRO itself - demonstrated an increase in cases related to unpaid players around the world.
The establishment of this Support Fund, officially put into operation since July 2020, is of great significance. Although the support will not be the entire remaining salary owed to the players, it is a part to help the players reduce their disadvantages.
What should the players do to get support?
If players believe they are eligible to benefit from FIFA FFP, they can contact FIFPRO at: playerfund@fifpro.org. FIFPRO's guidance says players need to demonstrate that they cannot recover their salary from the club after a decision by a court or agency.
In the compensation claim, players should provide all documents and evidence to prove it, such as a copy of the relevant labor contract, court decision, summary of their situation and information about the club's status. If we need more information, FIFPRO will contact you, said FIFPRO.
The decision to grant or reject your application will, in principle, be made once a year, by a Committee consisting of representatives of FIFA and FIFPRO.
In 2019, FIFA amended its Disciplinary Code, including strengthening the framework to handle non-payment of wages to players, especially in situations where there are so-called sports heirs of debt clubs, that is, newly established clubs with the main purpose of avoiding paying players for their overdue salaries.
FIFPRO President Philippe Piat said: More than 50 clubs in 20 countries have closed in the past 5 years, causing hundreds of football players to fall into a state of instability and difficulty. This fund will be a valuable support for players and their families in difficulty. Many of these clubs have closed to avoid paying too much salary, immediately forming a new so-called club. FIFPRO has long campaigned against this unethical behavior and thanked FIFA for opposing it in its Disciplinary Code.
