Chinese football have dismantled the title winning team of Corinthians by taking their key players, but São Paulo have decided to seek FIFA to prevent such departures from their club.
The club are aware of the interest from Héběi Zhōngjī in playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso, but the legal department of the Morumbi team sent a notification to the organization that controls world football with an objective to stop what the club calls “tapping up" of players. São Paulo expects action is taken by FIFA to prevent sales like that of Renato Augusto, Jádson and Ralf. According to São Paulo president Leco, the methods of Chinese teams are opposed to football rules. He told Folha: “If you try to take a player of our club without talking to us, that"s tapping up. We will not be just watching. We decided to take action. What the Chinese clubs did to Corinthians is tapping up as well. This is a measure that no one took. Corinthians didn"t take, no one took."
According to the expert in sports law Marcos Motta, who serves at FIFA, the movement of Chinese clubs can be challenged, but it is necessary for the club to provide evidence. He said: “The position of FIFA is very clear on this. If a club wants to look for a player who is under contract, the first to know has to be the club to which he is linked. Therefore, there may be a notification, but you must prove that there was this pursuit [from China]."
Chinese football have dismantled the title winning team of Corinthians by taking their key players, but São Paulo have decided to seek FIFA to prevent such departures from their club.
The club are aware of the interest from Héběi Zhōngjī in playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso, but the legal department of the Morumbi team sent a notification to the organization that controls world football with an objective to stop what the club calls “tapping up" of players. São Paulo expects action is taken by FIFA to prevent sales like that of Renato Augusto, Jádson and Ralf. According to São Paulo president Leco, the methods of Chinese teams are opposed to football rules. He told Folha: “If you try to take a player of our club without talking to us, that"s tapping up. We will not be just watching. We decided to take action. What the Chinese clubs did to Corinthians is tapping up as well. This is a measure that no one took. Corinthians didn"t take, no one took."
According to the expert in sports law Marcos Motta, who serves at FIFA, the movement of Chinese clubs can be challenged, but it is necessary for the club to provide evidence. He said: “The position of FIFA is very clear on this. If a club wants to look for a player who is under contract, the first to know has to be the club to which he is linked. Therefore, there may be a notification, but you must prove that there was this pursuit [from China]."
