He considers that if they separate him as “pressure to bend his will” it would be illegal
MADRID, 20 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Association of Spanish Soccer Players (AFE) would see signs of “illegal action” by FC Barcelona regarding its player Ousmane Dembélé if the fact of not calling him after not reaching a renewal agreement is perpetuated over time, although the Blaugrana club made it clear who understand that the Frenchman does not want to renew and that he is in the winter market.
The Blaugrana coach, Xavi Hernández, left Ousmane Dembélé out of the call for the duel in San Mamés due to a “technical decision”, and the Blaugrana director of football, Mateu Alemany, assured that a way out is sought for him once they understand that, After five months of negotiation and waiting for a response to his renewal offer, Dembélé does not want to renew.
Given this situation, AFE considers that the player and the club are obliged to provide their services and allow them to be provided, respectively, but stresses that the will of a player not to renew his contract cannot be seen by the club as a “breach labor”.
For the union, there can be “no type of discrimination” or pressure for the athlete to renounce his labor rights no matter how much, in this case, Ousmane Dembélé and as revealed by FC Barcelona, has chosen not to renew or not accept the conditions club renewal.
“We understand that the renewal of a contract requires the agreement of the wills of the two parties. Said agreement of wills must be issued freely without there being external conditions that limit or restrict the freedom of contracting of the professional soccer player,” AFE defended.
In this sense, they recognize that a professional soccer player does not have the right to be lined up or even summoned in all matches, but he does have the right to be treated under the same conditions as his teammates and to be able to play said matches.
“If this circumstance could be understood as pressure to bend their will, and in addition public statements are made recognizing this type of pressure, we would be facing an illegal action by the company,” defended the union.
In addition, they believe that the non-alignment of a footballer – at the moment Dembélé has not been summoned to play this Thursday in the Copa del Rey – for a period of time without any injury, illness or physical impediment, supposes a “devaluation of his image and his sporting reputation” which will have a negative effect on his future hiring.
“From AFE we want this situation to be resolved without violating the rights of the worker and we remember that AFE is available to any soccer player who may see their labor rights violated as a worker,” the union defended in its statement.