FIFPro transfer challenge put back to late July

The European players' union FIFPro has seen its legal challenge to reform in the transfer market delayed until July.

The Brussels Court of First Instance ahs scheduled a new date on July 27th for hearings after only going through procedural matters yesterday.

FIFPro quit peace talks with UEFA to find a solution to threats by the EC to outlaw the transfer market in its present state back in March but UEFA went ahead with its compromise plan with the EC.

FIFPro has asked for an emergency hearing before the president of the Brussels Court of First Instance on Monday morning at which it will ask for an injunction against the new transfer system reforms expected to be approved by FIFA's executive on July 5th.

"The plaintiffs want the President of the Court to bar the application of the new FIFA regulation on transfers of professional footballers ...," lawyers for FIFPro said in a statement released to the press on Friday. FIFPro is bringing its complaint against world governing body FIFA and the Belgian FA who are named as plaintiffs in the action.

The transfer reforms agreed in March mean any player breaking his contract within the first two years of a three year "protected" period could be barred from playing for his new club for four months in the following season or a calendar year in a proposal which was always ripe for a legal challenge.

The current case is a delaying tactic to send the transfer reforms back into confusion and mean they cannot be implemented.

By then strike action in England could be looming as FIFPro principles the PFA led by Gordon Taylor demand a £35 million share of a new television deal.

UEFA is also to proceed with attempts to look at wage caps across Europe which the unions are sure to fight.