The claim for damages is a new step in the legal fight that Diarra takes with the transfer rules of the World Football Association FIFA, assisted by Belgian lawyers Martin Beissel and Jean-Louis Dupont. The latter was already involved in the Bosman judgment thirty years ago, that it was certain that professional football players were free at the end of their contract. With Lassana Diarra, they now aim the next step: making the very expensive transfer fees illegal. The Court of Justice agreed again, after which FIFA adjusted its transfer rules.
Yet this did not happen enough, according to Diarra, who visits the Belgian union because FIFA prevented him from signing a contract with Sporting Charleroi in 2014. At that time he was internationally suspended because he had broken his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow. Diarra demands 65 million euros from the KBVB and another 65 million euros from FIFA. The case is related to a masslaim that the Dutch Stichting Justice for Players has submitted, together with the Belgian process financier Deminor. In this collective case, billions are demanded because there is action for “many tens of thousands of players”.
Diarra also says that “for all less well -known players who don’t have the resources”. His claim for damages of 65 million euros comes close to the annual turnover of the KBVB and is therefore impossible to pay. The KBVB did not yet officially respond, but believes that it can be difficult to punish the in good faith of the transfer rules of FIFA.
