The urgent need to introduce training compensation also in woman’s football

23.9.2020

Question for written answer E-005182/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Antonius Manders (PPE)

As a Member of the European Parliament, I was involved, in 2001, together with former Commissioner Vivian Reding, in proposing training compensation for football clubs that educate football players. FIFA has indeed introduced training compensation for football players under Article 20 of its regulations [1] .The compensation is now added to the transfer sum, to guarantee that clubs continue to educate young professional football players.

However, I recently received a complaint from someone in my electorate that Article 20 also says that ‘the principles of training compensation shall not apply to women’s football’.

• 1.Does the Commission agree that this is disrespectful towards female football players?
• 2.Does it also agree that this constitutes discrimination and is therefore a violation of the non-discrimination principle laid down in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union?
• 3.If so, what steps will it take to make sure that men and woman are treated equally, and thus that clubs who educate female football players will also, as soon as possible, receive training compensation?

• [1] https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/regulations-on-the-status-and-transfer-of-players-2019-october-2019.pdf?cloudid=kgfplkndqjekwitobec1