Soccer News of Monday, 3 November 2008

Source: kickoff

Fifpro condemns FIFA over Appiah delays

The union representing player across the globe, Fifpro, has launched a scathing attack on Fifa for failing to take decisive action in Stephen Appiah's battle against Fenerbahce.

Fifa has failed to rule on the status of Appiah six months after Fifpro supported the Ghana captain in his fight against the Turkish side over bad treatment.

Appiah was declared a free agent by Fifa but since English clubs declared interest signing him on a free transfer, Fenerbahce sprung a surprise by claiming they want a transfer fee.

Fifpro subsequently supported Appiah by reporting the issue to Fifa’s dispute resolution chamber hoping that the matter can be resolved but still the football governing body has failed to react which has prompted the fury.

"When confronted with administrative slowness which they (FIFA) do not understand and which they will eventually stop accepting in light of the athletic and professional penalties that come as a result,” a scathing statement from Fifpro secretary general Stephane Burchkalter read.

“Will the players not one day soon be more likely to bring their disputes to civil tribunals instead of taking them to sports judicial bodies?

"Does FIFA understand all the risks involved?

“Does FIFA understand the increasingly delicate position in which national players' unions and FIFPro find themselves?

“After having always encouraged professional players to take their grievances to FIFA's judicial body and now facing increasing, and daily, discontent from their members who feel forgotten, or even abandoned."

Appiahs relationship with Fenerbahce turned sour when he refused the club permission to suspend his registration to allow them use another foreign player in his place while he was injured from a botched knee surgery by the clubs doctors.

But he has fully recovered and played an important part in the Black Stars qualification for the second phase of the World Cup qualifiers.

Appiah has been linked with several clubs in the English Premier League with Tottenham, Portsmouth and West Ham all linked to signing the midfielder