FIFPro has advised professional football players not to sign with Serbian club sides when their transfer window opens in January, claiming that 68 percent of players in the country do not get their salaries on time while a higher chunk of the players get pressured to transfers.
FIFPro has advised professional football players not to sign with Serbian club sides when their transfer window opens in January, claiming that 68 percent of players in the country do not get their salaries on time while a higher chunk of the players get pressured to transfers.
The news definitely made the Serbian Football Association angry and they have dismissed arbitrators from a panel that helps players get fair treatment, further worsening the situation of football in the country.
According to FIFA regulations there should be arbitrators that should be appointed by clubs and players. In Serbia the body was known as National Dispute Resolution Chamber but the country moved to remove key players that provided help to the players. The arbitrators were chosen by the Serbian players’ union but the FA moved to replace them with officials of big clubs in the country.
This leaves casting votes in disarray as the officials side the top clubs like Red star and Partizan Belgrade. Players are required to pay certain fees before they start playing professional and the NDRC moved to increase the fees, increasing the burden on players how are owed money.
The NDRC also asked that cases in the old regime be reopened in the new regime, forcing FIFPRO to weigh in.
“This is a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the professional football players in Serbia who are now effectively playing in a lawless environment.
“We call upon the Serbian Football Association to immediately reverse its decision. Until this situation is resolved we strongly advise players not to go and play football in Serbia,” FIFPro said.
The Serbian Players’ Union also said that when new players move to the country, there is a 50 percent chance of slugging it out in court over disputes, warning prospective entrants to stay away.