1BSPORTS 1B Sports June 13th News The International Federation of Professional Football Players (FIFPro) has made suggestions on intensive schedules: it is recommended to set a one-month offseason, weekly rest days and mid-season suspension.
In the latest research report released on Tuesday, the global player union FIFPro clearly put forward twelve specific measures based on the opinions of 70 field experts to protect players from increasingly intensive event arrangements. The release is no accident. Two days before the start of the Club World Cup, the event will continue the season of some players until July 13. FIFPro released a research report on the impact of the schedule on Thursday. Over the past year, the organization has filed lawsuits against FIFA in the European Court of Justice and the European Commission to protest the issue of overloading the game.
The new report exclusively obtained by The Team Newspaper brings together the opinions of 70 sports medicine and performance experts from European clubs and national teams, providing data support for the current controversy. FIFPro has formulated the core principles for fighting game overload, emphasizing that these are not only scientific consensus conclusions, but also a practical solution roadmap that can immediately protect the health and competitive status of professional players around the world.
Of the five major leagues, only 13% of players participating in the 2024 European Cup or the Americas Cup received a 28-day full rest period last summer. With the introduction of the new version of the Club World Cup from June 14 to July 13, this proportion may be further reduced this year. Through anonymous expert surveys, the approval rating must exceed 75% before it can be adopted. The report finally established twelve core suggestions:
In terms of offseason, players should receive at least four weeks of complete holidays, including training, travel and media activities, of which two weeks must be completely isolated from external contact; at the same time, they must be able to choose to participate in the four-week pre-season preparation period.
During the season, you should ensure that: a fixed rest day per week, a interval of at least 48 hours between two games, and injury treatment must be followed by the team doctor’s advice, and a one-week “contactless rest period” in the middle of the season is added.
In addition, the time difference factor of cross-border flight should be fully considered when formulating the schedule. For young players, the report specifically emphasizes the need to establish an exclusive workload protection mechanism for the U18 or extended to U21 groups.
Several other issues close to consensus are also worthy of in-depth discussion: 69% of experts agree to set a single season appearance limit, but the specific games are not reached; 60% support the highest intensity of the three consecutive weeks of double games; 64% oppose limiting the number of consecutive starts.
The key at the moment is how to reach a consensus with decision-making agencies. Although FIFPro has started dialogue with UEFA, European Club Association, etc.But the organization emphasized that “professional football, as an industry with obvious high injury risk, its health standards should not be a bargaining chip”, and expressed regret for FIFA’s silent attitude.