The world football body FIFA is planning to impose tougher controls on Licensed Players' Agents from next January following recommendations outlined to its annual Congress. Jeu Sprengers, reporting on a task force set up two years ago to examine various aspects of the game, told delegates that FIFA wanted to define the role of agents more clearly, restrict the activities of unlicensed agents and limit all agents fees for any deals to three percent.
FIFA currently issues licenses to agents which last indefinitely, but Sprengers said that in future licenses would only be issued for a limited period, with agents having to re-apply after a number of years which have not yet been finalised. "We will also do more to protect under-age players and the role that agents play in their transfers," Sprengers said as quoted by Reuters.
FIFA president Joseph S Blatter told a news conference after the Congress that he welcomed the report, saying: "It is not good when agents take so much money out of football, or are able to take money from both clubs when negotiating a deal. A players's agent should be paid by the player -- but taking over 10 percent from a deal is immoral in my opinion."
The recommendations are to be finalised by September and should be approved by the executive committee at their meeting in Durban, South Africa in November with a view to their implementation on 1 January next year.
FIFA currently issues licenses to agents which last indefinitely, but Sprengers said that in future licenses would only be issued for a limited period, with agents having to re-apply after a number of years which have not yet been finalised. "We will also do more to protect under-age players and the role that agents play in their transfers," Sprengers said as quoted by Reuters.
FIFA president Joseph S Blatter told a news conference after the Congress that he welcomed the report, saying: "It is not good when agents take so much money out of football, or are able to take money from both clubs when negotiating a deal. A players's agent should be paid by the player -- but taking over 10 percent from a deal is immoral in my opinion."
The recommendations are to be finalised by September and should be approved by the executive committee at their meeting in Durban, South Africa in November with a view to their implementation on 1 January next year.