FIFA: "Transfers, players and clubs: a 'package of measures' necessary" (Jérôme Champagne)

"The mid-season transfer window in most of (the) European leagues just closed a few weeks ago and, once again, controversies, questioning and the need of reforms took center stage of the discussions among each component of world football," said Jérôme Champagne, candidate for the presidency of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), in a letter to the 209 member federations on 20/02/2014.

"More than ever a reform is necessary undoubtedly should this reform imply a big-bang? From my perspective, some principles remain fundamental," remarked Jérôme Champagne, referring to the regulatory role of FIFA and the balance between common law and the 'laws of football', the required adaptation of regulations around transfers and player statuses as well as necessary behavioral changes.

He offers a "package of measures to advance football into the twenty-first century," vowing to develop "organisational capacity" including the emergence of a "world association of clubs, pyramidal and democratic, in which all first tier clubs in the world would be voters and thus deciders.…