Agents Barnett and Pimenta against Fifa for the new protocol on prosecutors

From our correspondent Andrea Pugliese

January 30th
– Fiumicino (Rome)

October 1, 2023. This is the date scheduled for the definitive entry into force of the new Fifa regulation for players’ agents, currently in its transition phase. A regulation which essentially provides for a ceiling on commissions, a new licensing system for agents (with the introduction of a register) and the prohibition of multiple representation. A regulation that many agents do not like, however. Starting with Jonathan Barnett, the world king of agents by turnover and Rafaela Pimenta, the lawyer who inherited Mino Raiola’s career. “There are criminals in Fifa”, thunders Barnett at the Fifa Agent Regulations, organized in Fiumicino by The Football Forum, at the headquarters of the Roman transfer market closure, at the Hilton Airport. “And we’re moving to take her to court.”

The king of agents

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A conference reserved for agents and insiders, in which the introduction was entrusted to Christian Bosco, president of Iafa (the Italian association of agents) and where there were representatives of agents from German, Swiss, English sector organizations and Belgians. “The truth is that the agents are not against the legislation, but we are the only ones who can really talk about this business – says Barnett, who among his clients has Grealish, Camavinga, Kevin Phillips, Pinto, Pickford, Amrabat, Szczesny and Kalulu – Fifa really has no idea what they’re talking about, we have to fight this regulation. I don’t think anyone from Fifa has ever gone into an agency, to try and figure out what it is. They don’t know anything about our world, it’s absurd that consider themselves experts in our industry. Whenever we talk about agents we talk about the need for legislation. As far as I know, however, there are people from Fifa who have gone to prison or club directors who have been convicted of crimes. So we are not the ones who should be ashamed. It is right to get together and make legislation, we don’t want criminals to do it. We have sent a letter to three FIFA members announcing legal measures. It will be a long lawsuit a, which can also cost millions of euros. But we want to go ahead and show that what Fifa is doing is illegal. Otherwise you will see in the coming years how many problems players will have, especially those in the minor leagues.”

Mino’s heir

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And Pimenta also expressed itself on the same wavelength, which currently has Donnarumma, Ibrahimovic, Dumfries, Haaland, de Ligt, Pogba and Gravenberch among its representatives. “About 4 years ago Mino and I were invited by Fifa to a meeting on the new regulation, but we were surprised because they didn’t want to discuss it, but just show it to us – she says -. Everything was already done, decided. It was a trap. Our answer was : “See you in court”. We do not want to talk about legislation that has already been written, but create it from scratch, to understand errors and positive things about our profession. Now we are in the moment of implementing the legislation, we are preparing to go to court We have to fight together, because this is a real abuse that will also weigh on the players. Do we have to have a licensing system? Yes, but who has to decide how and when? Who decides who to remove the license or not? We have to decide we who will judge the exams to access or not the profession. And understand what an agent really is. In the end there will only be lawyers to represent the players, but they don’t want this.” Closing with Jesse De Preter, Denayer’s agent: “Fifa’s is just a maneuver to manage all the power, to completely control the turnover of football. Fifa does not accept the professional growth of many agencies, it wants a monopoly. For me this it’s a dictatorship, Fifa wants to control everything.”