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Fifa approves '6+5' rule
30/05/2008 07:46 - (SA)
Sydney - The Fifa Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution on Friday to support a quota of six home-grown players and a maximum of five foreigners in club football teams.
The resolution gives the green light for football's governing body to come up with a plan for introducing the quota system, possibly by 2010.
The resolution was passed by 155 votes to five with 40 abstentions at the congress held in Sydney - Fifa's key annual meeting of delegates.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been seeking the introduction of the quota system to protect the identity of national teams.
The resolution enables Blatter and his Uefa counterpart, Michel Platini, to explore all possible means within current laws to ensure the system is met.
The European Commission has expressed opposition to the Fifa move, warning that it would break European Union labour rules.
Semi-finals
Blatter is seeking the quota amid fears about the number of foreign players switching nationalities to play for different national teams, along with the competitiveness of club competitions.
He has singled out the semi-finals of this year's European Champions League which had three English Premier League teams - Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool competing.
Blatter told the Congress that he hoped to introduce the quota from 2010 with a minimum of four home players, going up to five in 2011 and the full six by 2012.
Platini, who spoke in favour of the motion, acknowledged it was a difficult issue. He said although he didn't have the full agreement at Uefa, the European governing body, because of the risk of it being overturned in court, he had decided to "unanimously" agree to support the resolution.
"The 30 European associations are in a difficult situation as they run the risk of being taken to court over this thorny issue," Platini told the Congress.
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Rugby
