Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, the world’s football governing body FIFA has released new regulations guiding the suspension of contracts.
In a statement released on Monday, FIFA said foreign players currently at Russian clubs who want their contracts suspended can do so unilaterally. It also released new guidelines to protect players currently plying their trade in Ukraine.
Nigeria’s Spartak Moscow winger, Victor Moses and CSKA Moscow’s Chidera Ejuke can use this window to suspend their contracts if they wish.
FIFA said the new regulations are a temporary annex of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
Titled Temporary rules addressing the exceptional situation deriving from the war in Ukraine,” it gives foreign players in the Russian and Ukrainian leagues an opportunity to change clubs.
FIFA gave Russian clubs until the 10th of March to mutually agree with their foreign players on their contract situation or they will have the right to unilaterally suspend their contracts until June 30th.
The players were given until the 7th of April to register with a new club without consequences.
“Concerning the situation in Ukraine, in order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the relevant contract explicitly agree otherwise, all employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) will be deemed automatically suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (30 June 2022), without the need for any action from the parties to this effect,” FIFA decided.
“In order to facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia, in the event that clubs affiliated to the Football Union of Russia (FUR) do not reach a mutual agreement with their respective foreign players and coaches before or on 10 March 2022 and unless otherwise agreed in writing, the foreign players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with the FUR-affiliated clubs in question until the end of the season in Russia (30 June 2022).”
This means Nigerian players in Ukraine or Russia can agree contracts with other clubs in Europe as their contracts are deemed suspended until the end of June.