May 14 – Fan-led environmental pressure group Fossil Free Football has given its support to the Fifpro and World Leagues Association (WLA) calls for FIFA to scrap its expanded Club World Cup in 2025 and reconsider its planned calendar expansion.
The Amsterdam-based pressure group said in a statement that “scaling up competitions is entirely inappropriate given the negative impact on both overburdened players and an overheating planet.”
Fifpro and the WLA argue that they were not consulted over plans for the Club World Cup which they say both damages the health of over-worked players and is a direct assault on the commercial revenues of the domestic leagues that are the basis of the professional football structure worldwide.
FIFA has no role in the professional leagues, has no financial commitment to them, their growth, or their players, but nevertheless wants a slice of their revenues for what Fifpro and WLA say are their own commercial reasons.
Fossil Free Football argues that: “Ongoing addition of matches not only directly endangers the safety of players but expands football’s deep environmental impact just as it must be cut back. More and bigger international tournaments means more polluting flights and (often unnecessary) stadium construction. The pollution caused by this expansion threatens the grassroots communities on which the sport depends.”
The lobby group argues FIFA should honour its commitments to halve carbon emissions by 2030 under the US Sports for Climate Action Framework.
Peter Crisp of Fossil Free Football said: “FIFA must listen to the clear warning signs from players and the only planet that we can play football on and realise that this is not the time for more matches. The Premier League warns of a calendar tipping point, while stretched players are speaking out about injury risks and burnout. At the same time, record smashing high temperatures and extreme weather events like deadly flooding in Brazil make it clear that…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/05/15/fossil-free-football-lobby-group-backs-fifpro-wla-call-scrap-2025-club-world-cup/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-05-15 05:04:31
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.