Fifa dismisses Arsenal claim for Van Persie compensation
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fifa has told Arsenal that there will be no compensation for the injury sustained by Robin van Persie while on international duty for the Netherlands that has so angered Arsène Wenger – and has reminded the club that they signed a contract promising not to sue national associations.
World football's governing body has pointed out to Arsenal that under an agreement reached with Uefa and the clubs' representatives the responsibility for insuring players rests with the clubs. In return Fifa has pledged £24m from the World Cup finals next summer, and £43m for the 2014 tournament, in payments to the clubs as a goodwill gesture.
"According to the regulations the release of players is mandatory and was accepted by everyone when the regulations were signed in 2001 and they are common practice in football," a Fifa spokesman said. "In that agreement the clubs are responsible for insuring players in their contracts. They agreed not to take any action to the courts."
Wenger said on Sunday that Arsenal's lawyers were looking into suing the Dutch football association (KNVB) for compensation for the ankle ligament injury that Van Persie suffered in a friendly against Italy last month. "We are definitely going for it," he said.
Fifa is at pains to point out that the payment to clubs whose players participate in the World Cup finals is not in return for them releasing players – they are obliged to do that under Fifa rules – but as a gesture, one that works out at £860 per day, per player.
The English Football Association takes out its own insurance that means that if an England player is injured their club can claim the value of his wages up to £50,000 a week for the first two weeks and £100,000 per week from then on, for up to two years.
A spokeswoman for the KNVB said yesterday that it makes a small contribution towards its national team's players' insurance premiums. However, it only makes those payments if the player in question plays for a Dutch Eredivisie team.
Wenger, whose team go to Burnley tonight, said that after beating Liverpool on Sunday his side had to prove that they could see off the smaller teams to stay in the title race. "If you want to win the league you need to win these games," he said. "I'm confident the team needed a big win and the players are focused.
"You develop your strengths as well when you convince yourselves you have it sometimes. That's why a big win helps you to think that you are strong, and if you lose it you think you are weak. We now know we can come from 1-0 and win against a Liverpool side that has real quality, although this season they have been unlucky."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments