EU red cards trade in child footballers

MEPs have given their tentative support for possible legislation banning the international transfer of footballers under the age of 18.

Speaking at a press conference in the European parliament on Monday, Italian deputy Giuseppe Gargani, the legal affairs committee chairman, said he endorsed a possible proposal from Uefa, European football's governing body, for a ban.

He said, "The trade in minors is a serious problem and we need very clear rules which protect child footballers from being passed from pillar to post."

His comments were echoed by British Socialist MEP Neena Gill, parliament's rapporteur on sport issues.

While not wishing to stifle sporting talent from places like South America and Africa Gill said there was "real concern" about child footballers who, having been moved to European clubs at a very young age, were then considered discarded.

"We have to be concerned about those who do not make the grade and are then effectively abandoned," she said.

Both deputies were due to take part in a conference, chaired by Gargani, on "disputes resolution in the field of sport."

Another speaker at the news conference, Uefa spokesman William Gaillard, made the most convincing argument for a ban on the international transfer of minors.

He said, "Everyone is scandalised when they read about children in developing countries manufacturing football kits and suchlike. But where is the outcry when it comes to children as young as 12 being separated from their families, transferred from Africa to another continent to play football for a club in Europe? This is child exploitation and we cannot support it."

He added, "We need to protect these children and also protect the club academies which try to nurture young talent."

His comments were criticised by David Dein, a former chairman of Arsenal football club and now influential vice president of the English Football Association, who said any ban would "stifle" the cultivation of young talent.

He said, "Of course, I am against child exploitation but let us be clear on this point - talent is being developed at a younger and younger age these days. You need only look at someone like Tiger Woods for evidence of that.

"Do we really want to stifle young talent with such a ban? That would be introducing rules just for the sake of it and is totally unfair."

The so-called "6 plus 5" rule, which aims to limit the number of foreign players in domestic football teams, was also due to be debated in the conference.

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