Diarra sues FIFA for €65m compensation after landmark legal ruling

  Former France international Lassana Diarra is seeking €65 million from world governing body FIFA and the Belgian FA (KBVB) after he won a landmark legal case at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) last year.

In October, after a long legal battle, Diarra won against FIFA when the court ruled that football’s transfer rules violated EU labour and competition laws, but the parties have not been able to reach an amicable settlement.   

“Following a ruling by the CJEU, in the absence of an amicable solution, the next logical step is to return to the national courts so that they can implement the CJEU ruling,” said law firm Dupont Hissel in a statement on Monday. “That is therefore what we are doing now, on the basis of a very clear CJEU ruling that has settled all the key legal points. The Belgian courts should hand down their decisions in 12 to 15 months.” 

In 2014, Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow terminated Diarra’s contract, citing contractual breaches by the player. Moscow also sought compensation from the French player. Under FIFA’s transfer rules at the time, both the player and the prospective club – Charleroi in Belgium – could be held liable for compensating the former club if a contract was deemed broken without “just cause.” Upholding a FIFA ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport sided with Lokomotiv.  

At the request of the Belgian court, the ECJ in Luxembourg then ruled that some aspects of FIFA transfer rules “hinder the free movement of players and competition between clubs.” 

Following the ruling, FIFA adopted an “interim regulatory framework” regarding player transfers.  

“I am doing this for myself,” said Diarra. “And if I have been able to hold out against the FIFA steamroller, it is because I had a good career. 

“But I have also done it for all the up and coming, lesser-known players who do not have the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA before real judges.” 

Ultimately, Charleroi didn’t sign Diarra, who also played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. He represented the French national team 34 times.  

FIFA has been contacted for comment.