Football is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Specifically, football is considered to be the king of sports as it is associated with entertainment and socialising. As a result, football generates huge revenues in advertising and entertainment industries. Since football is among the most important key players in advertising and marketing, the interests of football players and clubs need to be safeguarded. Therefore, a contract between a football player and a club may ensure the protection of both parties.
Main aspects of football contracts in Cyprus:
A Contract is a written financial agreement between a football club, member of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), and the player for a fixed period of time. The Contract must be duly signed by the football club and the player with the necessary legal binding power of signature. The minimum duration of a football contract is one season and the maximum duration of a contract is five years.
The contract must be submitted online to the CFA within 21 days from the date of notification and determination of player’s status. If there is a dispute between a player and a club regarding the terms and conditions of the contract, then the dispute is resolved by the Dispute Resolution Committee of the CFA. A contract filed with the CFA consists an irrefutable evidence for the procedures of the Dispute Resolution Committee.
In addition, a player shall, if required, sign a contract with a Football Company or any other legal entity in which the Club, member of the CFA, assigned or granted the responsibility of management and/or operation of football teams and other football related activities.
Registry of professional football players:
The CFA maintains a Registry of professional football players. All clubs, members of the CFA, can access the Registry for investigation purposes. Moreover, football players can access and investigate any data concerning them. The CFA Executive Committee may determine the investigation fees or expenses.
Minor football players:
In the case of a minor, the player may sign a contract with a club provided that he is 15 years of age and:
- The maximum duration of the contract is three (3) years;
- The contract must be signed by the Club, the football player and his parents/legal guardians. The signatures of the parents/legal guardians must be certified by the mukhtar of the municipality where they reside or by a certifying officer.
A Training Agreement between a club and a minor player is required. Have in mind that a contract between a minor player and a club does not substitute the Training Agreement. The training agreement must be signed by the Club, the player and his parents/legal guardians. The signatures of the parents/legal guardians must be certified by the mukhtar of the municipality where they reside or by a certifying officer. The training agreement expires when the player turns 18 years of age.
Regarding transfer of minor players between clubs the consent of parents/legal guardians is required.
Legal support is necessary because:
Sports law is an interdisciplinary area of law that embeds many areas of law, such as contract law, employment law, tort law and defamation, corporate and commercial law, immigration law and privacy rights. Therefore, clubs and players shall seek professional legal assistance in order to safeguard their rights and interests. The Cyprus law firm Michael Chambers & Co. LLC offers a wide spectrum of expertise in an impressive variety of legal disciplines.
As it has been mentioned before, disputes between players and clubs are resolved by the Dispute Resolution Committee of the CFA. Therefore, a professional legal aid is required. Specifically, our legal team will gather all the necessary evidence and examine, together with the client, all the related facts so that to provide him with the best possible representation.
The Cyprus lawyers of Michael Chambers & Co. LLC are committed to providing cost effective solutions and achieving the best possible outcome for clients. If you wish to speak to one of our lawyers, in absolute confidence, then please contact us: info@chambers.law
