By Andrew Warshaw in Geneva
September 6 – European clubs will hold discussions tomorrow over whether to demand insurance payments for players injured on international duty.
Recent injuries to Arjan Robben of the Netherlands and England’s Michael Dawson (pictured) have persuaded the clubs that the time has come for better financial protection.
While some larger countries already have comprehensive insurance agreements in place, smaller nations cannot afford to take out expensive deals and pass the money on to clubs whose players get injured.
Although FIFA implemented a compensation scheme for the World Cup in South Africa, the question of securing insurance cover has not been fully addressed.
Now, however, some 150 European clubs are due to discuss the issue at Tuesday’s annual meeting of the European Club Association (ECA).
Robben could be out for the rest of the year as he struggles to recover from a thigh injury he picked up before the World Cup finals.
And Dawson faces an eight-week spell on the sidelines after being stretchered off against Bulgaria on Friday.
Last week Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the ECA, revealed that a dossier concerning insurance cover by UEFA for clubs hit by an injury to a player on international duty was moving forward, not only for the big tournaments but also for friendlies.
“We have to have a solution,” said one leading club official.
“And it can’t just be a European solution covering European players because we have so many African players on our books.”
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