Former France midfielder Lassana Diarra is restarting legal proceedings seeking 65 million euros ($75.93 million) in damages from FIFA and the Belgian FA after the European Union’s top court (CJEU) ruled in October that some world soccer body rules breached EU laws.
FIFA handed Diarra a fine of 10 million euros after the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid player left Lokomotiv Moscow one year into a four-year contract in 2014.
That prompted the player to sue FIFA and Belgian FA for damages before a local court.
Diarra said on Monday that he had waited a few months before restarting proceedings in Belgium hoping FIFA and the Belgian FA approached him for an amicable settlement, which did not happen.
FIFA and the Belgian FA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I have been forced to fight this legal battle since August 2014. That’s more than 11 years,” Diarra said in a joint press release from players’ unions FIFPRO, FIFPRO Europe and France’s UNFP (National Union of Professional Footballers), who had all backed him in the case.
“I am doing this for myself … but I have also done it for all the up-and-coming, lesser-known players who do not have the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA before real judges.”
FIFA amended its transfer regulations following the CJEU ruling, adopting an interim framework on the calculation of compensation payable and burden of proof if there is a breach of contract.
The CJEU ruling has also prompted a Dutch soccer players’ group to announce it was preparing a Europe-wide class action claim against FIFA and other associations, seeking compensation over alleged loss of income due to restrictive transfer rules.
($1 = 0.8560 euros)
