FIFA adopts ‘temporary rules’ for contracts of foreign players and coaches in Russia and Ukraine

The FIFA announced this Monday that it has adopted a series of temporary rules of employment and registration of foreign players and coaches in Ukraine and Russia, so their contracts will be suspended until June 30 so they can sign for any club.

“After the escalation of the Russian invasion of Ukrainewhich has caused an ongoing and harrowing human crisis, the FIFA Council bureau has decided – in coordination with UEFA and after consulting various stakeholders – temporarily modify the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) in order to provide legal certainty and clarity on a number of issues”.

Thus, FIFA points out that, “in relation to the situation in Ukraine, in order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the contract party explicitly agree otherwise, all contracts of work of the foreign players and coaches with the clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian federation (UAF) will be automatically considered suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (June 30, 2022)without the need for any action by the parties to that effect.

Likewise, “for facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russiain the event that the clubs affiliated to the Russian federation (FUR) do not reach a mutual agreement with their respective foreign players and coaches before or on March 10, 2022, and unless otherwise agreed in writing, foreign players and coaches have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with the clubs affiliated to the FUR in question until the end of the season in Russia (June 30, 2022).”

The suspension of a contract will mean that the players and coaches will be considered “out of contract” until June 30, 2022 and, therefore, will be free to sign a contract with another club without facing consequences of any kind”.

“In order to offer flexibility to players whose registration was linked to the UAF or the FUR and who have left or may intend to leave the territory of Ukraine or Russia as a result of the war, registration of foreign players will be allowed whose previous registration was with the UAF or the FUR, even if the registration period is closed in the association of the club with which they conclude a new contract“, Add.

“For this exception to apply and to protect the integrity of the competitions, registration in the new club must occur before April 7, 2022 or on that date ”specifies FIFA, adding that “to further protect the integrity of the competitions, clubs have the right to register a maximum of two players who have benefited from the exception.

In relation to the protection of minors, “Minors fleeing from Ukraine to other countries due to the armed conflict shall be considered to meet the requirements of article 19 paragraph 2 d) of the RSTP, which exempts refugee minors from the rule that prevents the international transfer of players before the age of 18 years”.

The FIFA reiterates its “condemnation of the current use of force by Russia in Ukraine and calls for a speedy cessation of hostilities and a return to peace.” (D)