EU: Commission denies Financial Fair Play soccer rule complaint

The European Commission has declined to hear a complaint about the UEFA Champions League new rule of Financial Fair Play, reports say.

According to a source, the Commission rejected the complaint, which was the only one filed against the FFP rule, which limits the amount soccer clubs can spend in efforts protect competition between teams and level their financial playing fields.

Belgium-based agent Daniel Striani first filed the complaint against the rules, claiming they violate EU competition law by impacting free circulation of club owner and worker capital.

But regulators tossed the complaint, noting that Striani was the only one to file a complaint against FFP and that the authority has yet to receive a complaint by a club, which would be more directly impacted by the rules than Striani.

Manchester City is one of nine clubs that have so far been reprimanded for violating FFP rules; reports earlier this month pondered whether Man City could potentially fight its FFP fines using EU antitrust law.

Full content: Times of India

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