The French-speaking Court of First Instance dismissed an attempt by Royal Antwerp and player Lior Refaelov to annul a July 2020 arbitration decision. The plaintiffs argued that the requirements restricted clubs from freely signing talent and hindered the cross-border movement of workers. However, the court found the rules proportionate because foreign athletes can qualify as home-grown if they underwent local training. Under RBFA guidelines in place since 2011, Belgian teams must list eight locally trained players in their rosters, including at least six on each matchday squad.
Key points
Football clubs cannot bypass home-grown player mandates by claiming they breach European…: Football clubs cannot bypass home-grown player mandates by claiming they breach European Union competition and free movement laws.
The court determined that nationality does not dictate eligibility because foreign athlet…: The court determined that nationality does not dictate eligibility because foreign athletes trained locally qualify under the home-grown definition.
National courts retain the authority to uphold player development rules as legitimate mea…: National courts retain the authority to uphold player development rules as legitimate measures against clubs relying purely on financial power.
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Nov 4 : A Brussels court has rejected a challenge by Belgian club Royal Antwerp and player Lior Refaelov to football rules requiring clubs to field a minimum number of "home-grown players", finding they did not breach EU law.
The French-speaking Court of First Instance dismissed the request to annul an arbitration award from July 2020 that had found the Belgian football association's (RBFA) rules compatible with EU free movement and competition law.
The club and the player had challenged European soccer governing body UEFA's rules and those of the Belgian football association that require a minimum number of home-grown players to be included in the teams.
Antwerp had argued that the rules hamper a professional club from recruiting and fielding players who do not meet the requirement of local or national roots, violating both EU competition and free movement of workers rules.
The EU Court of Justice had said in 2023 that the rules could be contrary to EU law, but that it was up to a national court to decide whether that is the case.
Jurors at Cambridge Crown Court are hearing evidence in the trial of Anthony Williams, who stands accused of multiple attempted murder charges across London and Cambridgeshire. Because the defense does not contest that Williams carried out the stabbings, proceedings will center on establishing whether the 33-year-old possessed the legal intent to kill his victims.
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