FIFA allows Victor Moses and Chidera Ejuke To Suspend Contracts In Russia. Following the Russia and Ukraine crisis, the world’s football governing body FIFA has released new regulations guiding the suspension of contracts of players involved in the region.
In a statement released on Monday, FIFA said foreign players currently at Russian clubs who want their contracts suspended can do so unilaterally. It also released new guidelines to protect players currently plying their trade in Ukraine.
Nigeria’s Spartak Moscow winger, Victor Moses and CSKA Moscow’s Chidera Ejuke can use this window to suspend their contracts if they wish as they are part of the 109 foreign players that are set to be allowed to suspend their deals with their Russian clubs temporarily.
According to the New York Times, FIFA will allow players to move to new clubs on an initial temporary basis, through until June 30, inorder for the players to work and recieve a salary. FIFPro and the World Leagues Forum had called for the change to be a permanent one, but FIFA is understood to announce players must return to their Russian clubs by June 30.
FIFA said the new regulations are a temporary annex of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. Titled temporary rules addressing the exceptional situation deriving from the war in Ukraine,” it gives foreign players in the Russian and Ukrainian leagues an opportunity to change clubs.
“Concerning the situation in Ukraine, to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the relevant contract explicitly agree otherwise, all employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) will be deemed automatically suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (30 June 2022), without the need for any action from the parties to this effect,” FIFA decided.
FIFA gave Russian clubs until the 10th of March to mutually agree with their foreign players on their contract situation or they will have the right to unilaterally suspend their contracts until June 30th. The players were given until the 7th of April to register with a new club without consequences.
“In order to facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia, if clubs affiliated to the Football Union of Russia (FUR) do not reach a mutual agreement with their respective foreign players and coaches before or on 10 March 2022 and unless otherwise agreed in writing, the foreign players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with the FUR-affiliated clubs in question until the end of the season in Russia (30 June 2022).”
Russian clubs are currently allowed only a maximum of eight foreign players within their squad, with Brazil the biggest contributor of foreign talent with 13 players.
Reigning league champions Zenit Saint Petersburg have a full complement of eight foreign players, with five Brazilians, one Colombian, one Kazakh player and one Croatian in the form of former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren. Krasnodar announced last week that foreign players and staff can suspend their contracts, with all eight of their foreign stars taking up the option.
FIFA as well as UEFA, have already banned Russia from international football in response to the country’s military operation in Ukraine. This means that the national team will currently not be allowed to take part in the play-offs for the World Cup later this month.
This means Nigerian players in Ukraine or Russia can agree contracts with other clubs in Europe as their contracts are deemed suspended until the end of June.
However, Russia is set to take an appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to be reinstated in World Cup qualifying.
