Financial fair play: "An investment ban which violates the European law of competition" (J-L Dupont)

"The rule that is the basis of financial fair play, namely the requirement for financial balance, is more or less an investment ban, which violates the European law of competition," said the Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont to News Tank on 21/09/2014.

"For a household, it is wise not to spend more than you earn. For a company, debt (or more accurately the investment of the owners) is in some ways quite logical, and normal to generate the growth of a project," he added.

Jean-Louis Dupont is leading the fight in the Belgian and European courts against the principle of financial fair play set up by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), which prohibits a club participating in European Cup competitions from spending more money than it generates.

"This regulation succeeds in establishing something similar to the NBA: the few clubs who are lucky -- for historical reasons -- to be present at the top of the hierarchy now will remain there forever. We removed the social ladder," said Mr. Dupont.

"And it gets even worse if you're unlucky enough to be a big club in a small market; say…