Following the increasing importance of new technologies in football to collect possibly large amounts of data related to the performance and well-being of football players, FIFA and FIFPRO have agreed to identify and develop standards and best practices for the collection, protection and use of personal player-performance data based on the GDPR and Swiss Law.

The use of volumetric player data and artificial intelligence in the football industry requires the direct agreement of players and collective safeguards

On 14 December 2017 the worlds leading player associations unveiled the Universal Declaration of Player Rights (the Declaration) to protect sportsmen and women from ongoing and systemic human rights violations in global sport. FIFPRO was proud to be a part of this essential leap forward for professional sports people everywhere.

Francis Awaritefe is the chair of Professional Footballers Australia and a FIFPRO Board Member. On the occasion of International Labour Day, the former Socceroo turned lawyer shares his opinion on the rights of professional footballers.

These standards mark an important starting point to further collectively-agreed solutions between player unions and football stakeholders in domestic playing markets and define the interests and legal rights of players regarding their personal data.

FIFPRO was among football stakeholders heard by the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last week.

Nine FIFPRO member unions from four continents participated in the first FIFPRO Player IQ Tech Experience Tour in Tel-Aviv, Israel, giving them the chance to enhance their existing knowledge in the field of technology and innovation.

As a result of data and technology maturity, the ability to collect and use footballers’ data has greatly increased – and players should have a significant say in how their data is being used.

When a football player lies injured on the turf the pain can be hard to bear. By Laurie Bell.