The European Parliament warns against the threat posed by business models such as the Football Super League
The European Parliament has positioned itself against the project of Super league promoted by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus and alerts in a report on the "threat" posed by models that "pursue a purely business vision in sport".
The rapporteur for the report that was approved by the Culture Committee of the European Parliament, Tomasz Frankowski, attacked the business model that he considers promotes the Super League because it is based on a competition "of elite clubs" and pointed out that "sport is everyone's right".
In contrast to what he understands that this model promotes, he exposed the need for MEPs to defend another one based on values for the next generations.
In fact, the report bets on encourage competitions based on values such as solidarity, sustainability, inclusion, open competition and equity, and criticizes formulas that are based on 'breakaway competitions', an expression that alludes to 'dissident competitions', alluding to the Super League defended by some of the most powerful clubs in Europe.
MEPs call for a balance to be struck between the commercial interests of professional sport and its social functions, to be achieved through the strengthening the links between the grassroots level and elite sport. The report gives as an example that sports federations should establish a solidarity mechanism to channel funds towards amateur and grassroots sports.
MEPs also want address gender inequality in sport, in particular with regard to pay and equitable representation on the boards of directors of sports organizations, and they advocate that the European media guarantee a more equitable coverage of men's and women's sporting events.
“We need greater political participation from the EU in sport and more sport funding. Our main task as MEPs is to improve and protect a values-based sports model in Europe for the next generation. We have to work together against the forces that threaten this model and seek to undermine it with a purely lucrative vision of sport. Because, we are against a closed Super League of elite clubs in European footballor ", argued the rapporteur, Tomasz Frankowski.
The document adopted in the European Parliament committee also recommends protect children from abuse and harassment in sport, including providing advice and protection at national and EU level; more transparency in player transfer markets through an EU framework for player transfers that includes EU labor market rules and financial regulations, and use the '50 + 1 'rule of club ownership soccer players (private investors can only own up to 49% of the shares) as a best practice for other countries.
