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FA announces new rules on agents
From the BEEB. Its certainly a step in the right direction!
FA announces new rules on agents
The Football Association is to announce new regulations preventing agents from acting for more than one party.
The Football Agents Regulations come into effect on Saturday and include guidelines on dual representation, nepotism and overseas agents.
The agents themselves are unhappy - saying they were not consulted enough.
But the FA has admitted it only has limited powers on dealing with third-party ownership, claiming the issue needs to be addressed by Fifa.
Overseas agents will have to register with the FA if they are going to deal with English clubs and they will not be able to do business with any club that employs a close family member.
The new regulations are designed to increase transparency stamp out malpractice in the sport by implementing a framework to which all agents operating in England must adhere.
Six new members of staff have been recruited at the FA's Soho Square headquarters to assist in the monitoring and investigating of transfers and suspected rule breaches.
FA director of governance Jonathan Hall said: "We believe these regulations are fair and balanced. They are a significant step forward in governing this area of the game.
"These regulations aren't being introduced in isolation. We've brought in more specialist staff to work on monitoring all transfers.
"If we think there is some wrongdoing then we will investigate. Specialists are in place to examine anything that appears dubious."
Third party ownership is more a matter for Fifa. It is an international issue
FA spokesman Jonathan Hall
The FA has wide-ranging powers to punish any breach of the regulations, from docking points from clubs to suspending an agent's license, with sanctions imposed according to the severity of the offence.
The issue of third-party ownership of players has come into the spotlight since Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez's controversial arrival in English football.
Some provision has been made within the new rules through 'registration rights', which is a blanket prohibition on agents owning an interest, either directly or indirectly, in the registration rights of a player.
The FA admits concerns over registration rights must be cleared up, but insists it has only limited power to act and is waiting for Fifa to take the lead.
Hall said: "Third party ownership is more a matter for Fifa. It is an international issue.
"It's not purely domestic and that's why we've already been to Fifa alongside the Premier League to raise the issue.
"This is a big issue that needs to be addressed internationally. It will not be solved by a set of FA regulations. But we are taking the steps we can in this matter.
"This is a broader issue than agents and it can't be addressed overnight. It's extremely complicated and very international.
"Action has started to be taken and it will continue when we have a sensible dialogue with Fifa."
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