The European Football Club Association (ECA) met last week in Geneva/SUI and discussed club matters. Based on the Arjen Robben injury the European Soccer Clubs criticized the insurance policy of FIFA. Several clubs complained about the situation and the international match calendar.

ECA Chairman Rummenigge (FC Bayern Munchen) was requested to take a strong position in talks with UEFA/FIFA.  

According to Rummenigge previous discussions on the insurance issue with UEFA had been ‘fruitful’, talks with FIFA ‘not very positive’.

Rummenigge* continued: “I believe that it is quite fair that we are participating to take a further part of the big cake. The cake is always getting bigger and bigger: we don’t speak about millions, we speak about billions. I believe and I ask Fifa as an act of solidarity in favour of the clubs not to give more money but to take the risk of this insurance like it’s looking like Uefa is doing.”

Concerning the calendar Rummenigge added: A “federation like Fifa has to recognise that the players are our employees so we have to be more involved in this kind of matter….. Everyone is so busy in securing additional dates for this or that competition and we forget that the players are often the same and they are stretched to their limit, increasing the risk of injuries. A harmonized calendar and a clear insurance policy will be one of our main goals and this could help further to harmonize the relationship between club football and national team football.”

*Quotations according to Sportcal.com, one of the leading web sites for global sport markets.

Quotation from ECA Website:

International Match Calendar & Insurance Policy

Following several complaints from football clubs, the European Club Association was requested by its member clubs to take a strong position regarding the issues related to both the international calendar and the players’ injuries with the national team. All ECA clubs agreed on the following resolution regarding these issues:

The European Club Association:

• claims direct involvement in the definition of the international calendar;
• emphasises the urgent need of the creation of a formal consultation process between clubs and national teams regarding the physical conditions and injuries sustained while playing national team matches;
• deems the introduction of an insurance policy for all national team matches necessary.

ECA wants to address these three important issues directly to both UEFA and FIFA. Commenting on the resolution, ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “Everyone is so busy in securing additional dates for this or that competition and we forget that the players are often the same and they are stretched to the limit increasing the risk of injuries. A harmonised calendar and a clear insurance policy will be one of our main goals and this could help further to harmonize the relationship between club football and national team football.”