The association responsible for Hifk's football activities is about to be responsible for the coach's uniform of the bankrupt limited company.
Football A new black cloud has come over HIFK, who will play in the third league next summer. The International Football Association (Fifa) has slapped the club with a ban on player registration for three transfer periods.
The case is related to the dispute between the Italian coach of the bankrupt HIFKi Fotboll ab Fabrizio Piccaret with. The limited company was ordered to pay Piccareta EUR 85,000 in damages for breach of contract.
The association that runs HIFK's activities, HIFK Soccer ry, was not supposed to have any effects from the bankruptcy, but Fifa has interpreted the matter differently.
“Completely out of the woods came the news that the men of HIFK Soccer rf will be placed under a transfer and registration ban”, says the chairman of HIFK Soccer rf Christopher Perret.
HIFK Soccer ry and Suomen Palloliitto have asked Fifa for an explanation as to why the dispute between oy and Piccareta also concerns the association.
“Finland and also UEFA [Euroopan jalkapalloliitto] the license system is clear in that either the corporation or the ry is responsible, but not both,” Perret emphasizes.
“The Football Association is completely behind us and has also tried to find out what it is about. This would sabotage the entire Finnish license system if the decision were to stand, that is, that the junior club would be responsible for the actions of the limited company.”
Fifa has also requested additional explanations and promised to give its answer next week.
“This is a precedent and completely new for the Finnish system,” Perret emphasizes.
“If this were to remain in force, the Finnish system would have to be changed. Then, if a foreign player or coach were dissatisfied, for example, the clubs playing representative football would be on the trigger. No one could take such a risk.”
If Fifa's decision remains in effect, HIFK could take on new players for the first time in the summer of 2025. The decision applies to HIFK's men's representative team and boys aged 16 and up.
“In practice, this would mean that next summer HIFK would play Kolmo with a-juniors and a few male players.”
Perret states that if Fifa's decision remains valid, the association will consider filing a complaint or banning enforcement.
“A party who has not been accused of anything and who was not required to do anything, to be sentenced to damages and a registration ban is completely unheard of.”
Fifa the decision indeed states that HIFK Soccer would also be liable for damages.
“Fifa has been asked if they really think that we are also liable for damages. They replied that the ban on registration has been correctly condemned and will remain in force”, says Perret.
“Apparently they themselves understand that they cannot make us liable for damages, but this is what it says in the decision. They somehow think of us and oy as the same thing.”
Perret emphasizes that under no circumstances will HIFK pay any damages.
“It is a clear matter and also verified by the Finnish judicial bodies that we cannot be ordered to do such a thing. After all, you could get out of the registration ban by paying.”
What is special about Fifa's Piccareta decision last summer is that the decision mentions “HIFK Soccer”. It does not have the association's suffix “rf” nor the joint stock company that was a party, HIFK Fotball ab.
Doesn't Fifa know that a limited company and an association are different things?
“There have been attempts to explain it, but until now they haven't listened to it. They think we are the same.”
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