TPO: the European Commission rejects the claim of Doyen Sports and the Belgian club of RFC Seraing

In a letter dated 15 September 2017, Johannes Laitenberger, Directorate General for Competition, informed Doyen Sports Investments Ltd (Doyen) and the Belgian club of RFC Seraing of the European Commission’s intention to reject the claim filed by the two parties against the FIFA regulations prohibiting third party ownership (TPO). Since then, the claim has indeed been rejected.

“I regret to inform you that the Commission does not intend to further investigate your allegations that FIFA, UEFA, the English Premier League, the LFP and the Polish Federation are in breach of European competition law.”[1]

It is with these few words that the Directorate General for Competition begins his correspondence and ends the “hopes” of investment fund Doyen and the modest Belgian club of RFC Seraing (now called Seraing United). They were represented in this case by the Spanish law firm Roca Junyent and, more specifically, by the Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont.

In a letter of a dozen pages, dated 15 September 2017, the European Commission sets out the reasons that led it to not suggest a thorough investigation in this case, in accordance with the provisions of...

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TPO: the European Commission rejects the claim of Doyen Sports and the Belgian club of RFC Seraing

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