Former midfielder of France Lassana Diarra has started a lawsuit against FIFA and the Royal Belgium Football Association, looking for $ 76 million in compensation as part of a long -term dispute.
Diarra, now 40, has challenged some of the transfer rules of FIFA after the termination of his contract with the Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014. His lawyers mention the “failed settlement negotiations with FIFA” for the last compensation claim.
After his exit from Lokomotiv, Diarra claims that he has been an incorrect refused an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) that is needed to move to Charleroi in Belgium. FIFA denied the ITC on the basis of the fact that Diarra would have broken his contract with Lokomotiv, and then fined the player € 10 million.
Last October, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled in favor of Diarra and said that the rules of FIFA “hinder the free movement of professional football players who want to develop their activity by working for a new club”.
The legal team of Diarra claims that they have tried to reach an agreement with FIFA, but have not been able to complete a scheme. Now Diarra is moving to a legal solution.
“I am forced to fight this legal battle since August 2014. That is more than 11 years,” Diarra said in a joint media release.
“I do this for myself but I also did it for all emerging, less well-known players who do not have the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA for real judges.”
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