Newsletter-21

406 NEWSLETTER 2016 UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations* Att. Ali Sami Er Football’s economic growth, astronomical transfer fees, and neglected youth development seem to be considered not only by us but also the UEFA. Thus, the implementation of Financial Fair Play (“FFP”) Rules started in the 2014/15 season, two years after a long preparation phase. With the investigations, the financial tables and indebtedness of the clubs in the 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 seasons were checked and the expenditures of Turkey’s big four clubs came under the radar of the UEFA. FFP Rules The criteria sought in these investigations, briefly, as follows: The clubs may spend up to €5 million more than they earn per assessment period (aforementioned three seasons) (“Permitted Level of Additional Deviation”). Knowing that many teams are in hugely indebted, to soften this stiff transition, and to ensure that the clubs gradually establish a bal- anced budget by the 2018/19 season, the UEFA determined restrict- edly these variation limits as: • €45m for assessment periods 2013/14 and 2014/15 • €30m for assessment periods 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18. These variation limits are acceptable only if it is entirely covered by a direct contribution from the club owner(s) and/or a related party. Investments in stadiums, training facilities, youth development and women’s football and all such costs are excluded from the break-even calculation. In result of such Rules, * Article of November 2016