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The FIFA 2 refers to Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly, two Irish internationals who were prevented from playing for Cork City F.C. as they had already played for two other clubs in the last year. Image File history File links Merge-arrow. ... This article is about an international football organization. ... Colin Healy (born March 14, 1980 in Cork) is an international footballer for the Republic of Ireland, currently playing with eircom League of Ireland side Cork City FC. // Born in Ballincollig in County Cork, he played local football with Wilton United. ... Gareth Farrelly (born August 28, 1975 in Dublin) is an Irish footballer, currently player manager of Bohemian F.C.. Gareth played his schoolboy football with Home Farm. ... Cork City F.C. is an Irish football (soccer) club playing in the Football League of Ireland. ...

The problem

On 2 April 2007, FIFA informed Cork City that they would not allow two players, Irish internationals Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly, to play for the club. FIFA ruled that the players had already played for two other clubs in the previous 12 months, and so decreed that neither player could play until July 2007. Cork City had signed contracts with these two players, and so the options open to them were either to keep paying the players even though they cannot play, or cancel the contracts. is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... This article is about an international football organization. ... Colin Healy (born March 14, 1980 in Cork) is an international footballer for the Republic of Ireland, currently playing with eircom League of Ireland side Cork City FC. // Born in Ballincollig in County Cork, he played local football with Wilton United. ... Gareth Farrelly (born August 28, 1975 in Dublin) is an Irish footballer, currently player manager of Bohemian F.C.. Gareth played his schoolboy football with Home Farm. ... This article is about an international football organization. ...

The players

Both Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly have represented the Republic of Ireland at senior international level.

Gareth Farrelly has played at the highest level in England, in the Premier League, with Aston Villa, Everton and Bolton Wanderers. Farrelly joined Bohemians in late August 2004 as player-manager, and left the position on 30 August 2006. He subsequently joined English side Blackpool on a short-term contract, which expired in February 2007. For other sports leagues which may be referred to by this name, see List of professional sports leagues. ... “Aston Villa” redirects here. ... Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. ... Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football club based in Horwich, in the Borough of Bolton, North West England. ... Bohemian F.C. (Irish: An Cumann Peile Bóithéimeach), more commonly referred to as Bohemians, are an Irish football (soccer) club playing in the Football League of Ireland. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... -1...

Colin Healy has played with Celtic and Sunderland, where he had the extreme misfortune to break his leg on two occasions. On 10 August 2006, Healy signed a one-year contract with Barnsley. After making 10 appearances for Barnsley, he had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. During this period, he also played on loan with Bradford City. Celtic Football Club (pronounced seltik in IPA; AIM: CCP)[1] is a Scottish football club, competing in the Scottish Premier League, the highest form of competition in Scotland. ... Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional football club, based at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in North-East England. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Barnsley Football Club are an English football league team, based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire and nicknamed the Tykes (a Tyke is a traditional Yorkshire character rugged, hardworking and with great pride in their roots). ... Bradford City Association Football Club (also known as The Bantams, and previously The Paraders or The Citizens) is an English football club based in Bradford, Yorkshire, currently playing in League Two. ...

The rule

According to the FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players, Chapter III: Registration of Players, Article 5.3 states

"Players may be registered for a maximum of three clubs during the period from 1 July until 30 June of the following year. During this period, the player is only eligible to play in Official Matches for two clubs."

The precedent

1. The Finnish Football Federation, an association that also has its season within a calendar year, just like Ireland, simply ignores this rule, because their season is "out of sync" with the FIFA designated season. Any player who signs for a Finnish club, and who is in the same situation as Colin Healy or Gareth Farrelly, is allowed to play in official matches in Finland.
2. A more telling precedent is the case of Javier Mascherano. FIFA allowed Mascherano, an Argentine international, to join Liverpool, his third team in the 12 month period, from West Ham United. FIFA ruled that as the other team involved, Corinthians, is from Brazil and so competes in a January-December season, they were outside the scope of the July-June restriction.
3. A number of players with other eircom league sides have also been caught by Article 5.3, but have since been cleared to play. One of these players is Shaun Holmes who was registered with 3 clubs Glentoran, Derry and Finn Harps. Glentoran is an Irish League club in Northern Ireland and part of the UK, a league that follows the FIFA designated season. Shaun Holmes has played for a club in a UK league, the same situation as both Farrelly and Healy, but this fact has not proved a barrier to him playing in the eircom League this season.

Javier Alejandro Mascherano (pronounced as IPA: ) (born June 8, 1984 in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe) is an Argentine football player. ... Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ... West Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in West Ham, London Borough of Newham, East London, and have played their home matches at the 35,146 capacity Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904. ... Sport Club Corinthians Paulista is a Brazilian sports club, based in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, most known for its football team, is a traditional and popular Brazilian football club. ... Glentoran F.C. . a Northern Irish football club, playing in Belfast. ... Derry City F.C. are an Irish football club based in the city of Derry. ... Finn Harps F.C. is an Irish football club playing in the Football League of Ireland. ...

The law

It is possible that the FIFA regulations may conflict with certain provisions of European Community law, or, at the very least, an arguable case can be made that such a conflict exists.

Article 39EC states:

1. Freedom of movement for workers shall be secured within the Community.
2. Such freedom of movement shall entail the abolition of any discrimination based on nationality between workers of the Member States as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work and employment.
3. It shall entail the right, subject to limitations justified on grounds of public policy, public security or public health:

a) to accept offers of employment actually made; b) to move freely within the territory of Member States for this purpose; c) to stay in a Member State for the purpose of employment in accordance with the provisions governing the employment of nationals of that State laid down by law, regulation or administrative action; d) to remain in the territory of a Member State after having been employed in that State, subject to conditions which shall be embodied in implementing regulations to be drawn up by the Commission.

Article 40 b EC states:

The Council shall, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251 (which refers to EC procedures for the adoption of Acts) and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee, issue directives or make regulations setting out the measures required to bring about freedom of movement for workers, as defined in Article 39, in particular: b) by abolishing those administrative procedures and practices and those qualifying periods in respect of eligibility for available employment, whether resulting from national legislation or from agreements previously concluded between Member States, the maintenance of which would form an obstacle to liberalisation of the movement of workers;

Article 43EC states:

Within the framework of the provisions set out below, restrictions on the freedom of establishment of nationals of a Member State in the territory of another Member State shall be prohibited. Such prohibition shall also apply to restrictions on the setting-up of agencies, branches or subsidiaries by nationals of any Member State established in the territory of any Member State.

Freedom of establishment shall include the right to take up and pursue activities as self-employed persons and to set up and manage undertakings, in particular companies or firms within the meaning of the second paragraph of Article 48, under the conditions laid down for its own nationals by the law of the country where such establishment is effected, subject to the provisions of the chapter relating to capital.

There are also various Directives which govern Freedom of Movement of People.

External links

• Transfer regulations of FIFA (PDF)
• The anatomy of a transfer deal by BBC Sport