Following unsuccessful settlement negotiations with FIFA, Lassana Diarra is pursuing his rightful compensation before Belgian courts for damages resulting from FIFA's illegal transfer rules, with full support from FIFPRO, FIFPRO Europe and French player union UNFP.
Following the landmark Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling on 4 October 2024, Lassana Diarra has returned to Belgian courts to claim full compensation for career damages caused by FIFA's illegal transfer regulations.
CJEU ruling confirms violations
The CJEU ruled that some FIFA transfer rules violated EU principles of free movement of workers and competition law. The court reinforced the concept of freedom of movement and recognised that the transfer system was preventing the players from exercising their right to terminate employment contracts without just cause, even if that right was in principle recognised in the regulations.
FIFPRO understands this confirms that players subject to these rules since 2001 have suffered damages throughout their careers.
Damage assessment and compensation claim
An independent economic analysis has confirmed substantial damages suffered by Lassana Diarra throughout his career as a result of FIFA's restrictive transfer regulations. Based on this expert assessment, Lassana Diarra is seeking full compensation from FIFA and the Belgian Football Association, with interest continuing to accrue until payment.
For detailed information regarding the compensation claim, please refer to the separate media release issued by Lassana Diarra here.
New legal proceedings
These proceedings represent, together with those being held in the Mons Court of Appeal, the continuation of the case Lassana Diarra originally filed in 2015. The decision to pursue litigation followed unsuccessful attempts at amicable settlement, with FIFA declining to engage constructively to resolve the rightful demand by the player to be compensated for his career losses.
FIFPRO, FIFPRO Europe and UNFP continue to provide full support to ensure Lassana Diarra receives the compensation guaranteed under the applicable law in Belgium and the EU.