Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will head a FIFA task force dedicated to player welfare, the governing body of world football announced Monday.
This initiative comes in response to growing concerns over the physical and mental strain that demanding schedules impose on players.
Earlier this month, the players’ union FIFPRO, Spain’s La Liga and the European leagues’ group jointly filed a complaint with European Union antitrust regulators, accusing FIFA of “calendar abuse.”
A FIFPRO report released last month revealed that some players receive as little as 12% of the year for rest.
The introduction of FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup and revamped international competitions is expected to exacerbate the already crowded match schedule each season.
“The objective of the task force is to examine how suitable and effective safeguards for players can be implemented, also taking into account practical considerations from operational, medical, regulatory, and legal perspectives,” FIFA said in a statement.
Wenger, who has taken on the role of FIFA’s chief of global football development, said in a press release last December that there had been a dramatic improvement in player welfare, which was “unrecognizable” from what it used to be.
FIFA said its task force will make recommendations on players’ physical and mental well-being based on the latest scientific research.
The task force will continue its work in the coming weeks, FIFA added.
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