The Executive Committee of the RFU postponed the issue of the return of the second league to the “spring-autumn” system

The entire sports world is seething, discussing the new recommendations of the International Olympic Committee on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions. It would seem, what could be more important? As it turns out, there is something.

In Moscow on March 30, the next executive committee of the Russian Football Union (RFU) was held, the agenda of which included very interesting issues. If you understand exactly what is at stake.

The issue of transition to the Asian Football Confederation was not considered, which was announced by RFU President Alexander Dyukov before the meeting.

A small piece of news was published on the RFU website, which said that the leadership of our football intends to discuss changes in the system and format of the second league (FNL-2), the reform of compensation payments and payments under the solidarity mechanism. And also to approve the rules for licensing football clubs of the second league and the regulations for the activities of football agents.

Delayed decision

Let’s start with the most important thing – changes in the FNL-2 championship system. Why is it important? Because now our professional football plays according to the autumn-spring system. From the very beginning, this format had many opponents, indicating that long summer breaks in tournaments would not benefit anyone. However, the decision was made, and our football in 2011 was synchronized with everything else (well, almost everything) in European football. What dividends this brought and whether it brought at all, the honorary president of the RFU Vyacheslav Koloskov and the former president of Torpedo Alexander Tukmanov quite clearly explained in their big interview with MK the other day. In order not to repeat myself, it will be enough to add that the biggest problems with the autumn-spring format were experienced by the clubs of the second league, which was previously called the PFL, and now exists under the name FNL-2. Problems related, among other things, to the large geography of the tournament, the small amount of funding for clubs and the climatic features of our country.

Suffered for a long time. And on October 8, 2021, a working group of the FNL was formed to discuss a possible change in the format of the tournament. They planned that they would be able to quickly enough “work out the legal, marketing and financial aspects of introducing a new format in the FNL and FNL-2.” But, as it turned out, such issues are not solved out of hand. And it took a little longer to work. Including because of all the upheavals that happened to our football, as well as to all sports in general, in 2022.

Of course, some details of the proposed reform were leaked to the media. For example, at the end of 2021, there were reports that the FNL-2 would be reduced to 36 teams, which would be divided into two groups (the Streltsov division and the Yashin division), and the championship would be held in two stages.

Then there were ideas to create a kind of “hybrid format” – not just divide the tournament itself into two stages while maintaining the number of teams, but make some of the clubs semi-professional.

Or divide FNL-2 into two levels, so that 20 clubs play in the first, divided into “gold” and “silver” groups, and in the second – the remaining 60 clubs with regional division and according to the “spring-autumn” system. Or even switch to the English and German models, where there are fourth, fifth, and even eighth divisions that make up a single pyramid of professional football up to the premier leagues.

What did the executive committee of the RFU decide on March 30?

“The Executive Committee of the RFU fundamentally supported the reform of the second league. There are 2 weeks to finalize questions. In the case of the implementation of the reform, FNL-2 will be divided into levels. The elite part will include 20 teams: 4 relegated from the First League (FNL) and the most successful among those who have not risen a division higher. The remaining teams of the second league will be moved to a lower level – they will continue to play in regional groups. If the changes are accepted, the tournament may switch to the spring-autumn system,” said FNL President Nail Izmailov to Match TV.

It only remains to add that Alexander Atamanenko, appointed Executive Director of the FNL on February 6, 2023, one of the most authoritative specialists in his field, who previously worked as the General Director of the Donbass Arena and Commercial Director of the Moscow Spartak, has all the necessary competencies, like Nail Izmailov, to resolve this issue.

Players will pay more

Another very interesting issue is the reform of compensation payments and payments under the solidarity mechanism for the training of football players and female football players.

There is a rule all over the football world – children’s coaches, schools and clubs that have prepared players who are then signed by professional clubs should be compensated for their work.

In our country, this mechanism of compensation and solidarity payments was described in detail in the “Regulations on the status and transfers (transfers) of football players”, where two chapters were devoted to this topic, containing six detailed and extensive articles. Including indicating to whom, how much and in what cases it is necessary to pay. Of course, it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand such a large amount of information, but one thing can be said: the system worked, although it caused criticism. And who is not without sin?

For the first time, the need for reform was officially announced on December 22, 2022. Then the RFU professional football committee considered that the current system needed to be finalized, which should be completed in the first quarter of 2023.

What did they decide?

Now the Russian Football Union will introduce a “Single Annual Contribution” from professional football players and female football players in the amount of 2% of the salary of male players and 5% of the salary of female players, respectively.

“The funds will be distributed among sports schools and coaches who have trained athletes. Linking the solidarity payment to the players’ salaries will allow for a more fair assessment of the quality of football players’ training. The new mechanism will make payments regular instead of lump sum. Previously, the system, which will be replaced by the Single Annual Contribution, consisted of three different payments – compensation for training when signing the first employment contract, solidarity payments, and a solidarity registration fee, ”the RFU website says.

At the same time, all international solidarity payments that are provided for the transfer of players to foreign clubs will remain.

Why will they take away 5% from football players, and not 2%, like men? This is yet to be dealt with.

P.S

After the completion of the executive committee, the President of the RFU, Alexander Dyukov, during a press conference, answering questions from journalists, said that:

– in the coming months, the Crimean clubs must go through the licensing procedure in the FNL;

– there are no grounds for canceling the FAN ID;

– The RFU will support the initiative to return the sale of beer at stadiums during matches;

– So far, the main task of the RFU is the return of our clubs and teams to European tournaments, but the option of moving to Asia is also not excluded.