The European Commission has communicated to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that it would be justified for UEFA to block a parallel league such as the Super League. understanding that it threatens the sports model, as announced by the news outlet on issues related to the MLex competition.
As explained by ‘MLex’ in a report, both the governing body of European football and FIFA have received “a boost” in their fight from the antitrust regulators of the European Union (EU), ensuring that UEFA “could justify blocking a rival league on the grounds that it threatens the sporting model of the game.”
In this sense, they reiterate that the allegations before the CJEU “underline the importance of sporting merit in soccer and the existing pyramidal structure of the game, that sees teams descending and ascending and is supervised by UEFA. “In addition, it indicates that the European Commission describes the plans for the Superliga, a mostly closed competition, as” a clear threat to that model. “
On November 23, the European Parliament rejected “splinter competitions”, such as the Football Super League, that undermine the “principles of inclusion and equity” and defended a sports model in the European Union based on values such as solidarity.
Only Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus remain standing in the initial project of 13 Superliga clubs, announced in April 2021. Atlético de Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated from the initiative due to the rejection of the main football organizations and fans .
In this sense, ‘MLex’ assures that the European Commission understands that clubs and footballers are sanctioned for participating in an alternative league, but sees disproportionate that they are prohibited from returning to UEFA.
The European Commission has a purely advisory role in the process, although his opinion is important because, as the main antitrust agent of the EU, he could set a precedent in the sector and influence the approach of the judges on the subject. It is the national judge who must apply the law to the facts.
Furthermore, ‘MLex’ presents a clear precedent. In 2017, the European Commission sanctioned the International Skating Union (ISU) for threatening to expel two skaters from the Olympic Games if they participated in a new event organized in Dubai, something that he understood was not his competence.