Court no 17 sides with Super League over UEFA and FIFA
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The head judge of Commercial Court No. 17 in Madrid has ruled in favor of the European Super League Company SL (ESLC) in their lawsuit against UEFA and FIFA. The judge found that both organizations have abused their power by restricting competition in the market. They have granted themselves the authority to block participation in other competitions and impose unfair restrictions that violate EU laws.
The ruling requires FIFA and UEFA to stop their anti-competitive behavior and prevent it from happening again. They must also undo any effects of their actions that occurred before or during the legal proceedings. This all started on April 18, 2021, when ESLC announced the Super League project and faced opposition from FIFA and UEFA.
The judge’s decision aligns with the Court of Justice of the European Union, which found that certain rules in FIFA and UEFA statutes contradict EU competition laws. This includes regulations related to international matches and the structure of the competition market in the EU.
The ruling also criticizes the statements made by FIFA, UEFA, and other entities, including football federations and leagues from England, Italy, and Spain. These statements, made in response to the Super League project, were deemed to violate EU competition laws as well.
The decision supports the claim made by ESLC because the defendants’ actions were not just about stopping a specific project, but also about preventing a third-party competitor and changing the monopolistic competition system. This argument was maintained even when the Super League project was abandoned or altered from its original proposal. This shows that the initial opposition was focused on preventing competition from third-party competitors. The ruling states, “Even though the Super League project as initially presented in the lawsuit has been abandoned and rejected by its creators, any requests related to it must also be dismissed. There should not be a blanket ban on future projects or changes to the existing one. To do otherwise would be to restrict any football competition project brought forward by the plaintiffs, which is not fair. It will be the responsibility of the parties involved to make adjustments and modifications as needed. This ruling does not mean that the approval of any competition is the focus of the case, but rather sets the groundwork for a fair competition system in organizing football events.”
This resolution has not been finalized yet, and an appeal can still be filed against it before Section 28 of the Provincial Court of Madrid, which handles commercial matters.
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