FIFA announced on Monday that it adopted a series of temporary rules for the employment and registration of foreign players and coaches in Ukraine and Russia, so their contracts will be suspended until June 30 so that they can sign for any club.
“Following the escalation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has caused an ongoing and harrowing human crisis, the FIFA Council bureau has decided – in coordination with UEFA and after consultation with various stakeholders – to temporarily amend the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) in order to provide legal certainty and clarity on a number of issues.
Thus, FIFA points out that, “in relation to the situation in Ukraine, in order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the contract explicitly agree otherwise, all employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with the clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian federation (UAF) will be considered automatically suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (June 30, 2022), without need action of any of the parties to that effect.
Also, “to facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia, in the event that the clubs affiliated to the Russian federation (FUR) do not reach a mutual agreement with their respective foreign players and coaches before March 10, 2022 or on that date, and unless otherwise agreed in writing, foreign players and coaches shall have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with the FUR affiliated clubs in question until the end of the season in Russia (June 30 of 2022)”.
The suspension of a contract will mean that players and managers will be considered “out of contract” until June 30, 2022 and will therefore be free to sign a contract with another club without facing consequences of any kind.
“In order to provide flexibility to players whose registration was tied to the UAF or FUR and who have left or may intend to leave the territory of Ukraine or Russia as a result of the war, the registration of players will be allowed. foreigners whose previous registration was in the UAF or the FUR, even if the registration period is closed in the association of the club with which they conclude a new contract”, he adds.
“For this exception to be applicable and to protect the integrity of the competitions, the registration in the new club must occur before April 7, 2022 or on that date,” FIFA specifies, adding that “to further protect the integrity of competitions, clubs have the right to register a maximum of two players who have benefited from the exception.
In relation to the protection of minors, “Minors who flee from Ukraine to other countries due to armed conflict shall be considered to meet the requirements of article 19 paragraph 2 d) of the RSTP, which exempts refugee minors from the rule that prevents the international transfer of players before the age of 18”.
FIFA reiterates its “condemnation of Russia’s current use of force in Ukraine and calls for a swift cessation of hostilities and a return to peace.”
