FIFPRO President Sergio Marchi Criticizes Calendar Abuses and Image Exploitation at Prague Assembly

Sergio Marchi, the Argentine president of FIFPRO, led the European general assembly in Prague, Czech Republic, attended by representatives from 33 player unions and UEFA officials. The two-day meeting focused on critical issues affecting professional footballers, primarily the need to reduce the congested international match calendar to protect players' physical and mental health. Marchi emphasized that the current schedule constitutes an abuse that jeopardizes athlete welfare. Additionally, the assembly addressed the inequitable distribution of industry revenues, with Marchi highlighting the commercial exploitation of players' images through technological advances without fair compensation. Discussions also covered contractual breaches, non-payments, and the lack of collective bargaining agreements in many European leagues, which leaves players without minimum salary guarantees. The event underscored growing concerns regarding the balance between commercial interests and player rights, aiming to establish better protections and financial fairness for footballers across Europe and globally.