Talks between soccer governing bodies FIFA and UEFA and the European Commission (EC) over a new transfer system have hit two obstacles that could delay a deal, according to a letter obtained by Reuters today.
Monday's scheduled meeting between FIFA president Sepp Blatter, UEFA president Lennart Johansson and EC Commissioners Mario Monti, Anna Diamontopoulou and Viviane Reding is now in jeopardy and may not take place, Reuters understands.
If it does go ahead, it is unlikely to be the final meeting to resolve the long-running saga. The two issues involve sporting sanctions for players who break their contracts and compensation to smaller clubs who develop players aged 23 and under.
Reuters has obtained a letter sent by UEFA's chief executive, Gerhard Aigner, to Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, the current EU president, saying that unless EC officials change their stance on these issues, all hopes of resolving the dispute over the transfer system could end.
Aigner wrote: "We are now at the end of the road and fearful of the final outcome if the Commission continue to dig their heels in on these fundamental items."
He says: "Here we have found the Commission officials almost impossible to deal with because of their unwillingness to accept the specific needs of the grassroots of the game and their total lack of understanding of how the development of players takes place."
Sources close to the talks told Reuters: "There is serious frustration within football at the attitude of the officials reporting to the Commissioners. We are so close to a deal but there can be no deal done until these fundamental issues are agreed."
If the soccer authorities and the EC cannot reach a deal on the new system, the EC could impose one instead which would have huge repercussions for the sport worldwide.
Reuters