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The Webster ruling is a test case in association football law involving Andy Webster, a defender formerly with Heart of Midlothian football club in Edinburgh, Scotland. In September 2006 he became the first player to exploit the transfer regulations of FIFA, the sport's governing body, which stipulated that players are able to unilaterally walk away from a contract after a fixed period, regardless of the duration of the contract itself. Although the long-term effects of the ruling remain unclear, it has been compared to the landmark Bosman ruling of 1995 in its potential significance.

Background

Webster's transfer

In March 2001, Andy Webster joined Hearts from Arbroath F.C. for £75,000.^[1] He played regularly in the first team for the next five years, and made 22 appearances for the Scotland national football team

Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players

The regulations which led to the Webster ruling were enacted in response to the European Commission, who in 1998 opined that FIFA's then current football transfer system served as an obstruction to players' freedom of movement compared to workers in other industries. After the Commission threatened to abolish the system, the new regulations were put in place by September 2001, although because of the complexity and potential legal ramifications for players, it took almost five years for Webster's test case to emerge.^[2]

Article 17

Article 17 of FIFA's Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players is entitled "Consequences of Terminating a Contract Without Just Cause", and is the fifth article of Chapter IV, "Maintenance of Contractual Stability between Professionals and Clubs". It outlines the provisions which apply if a contract is terminated without just cause, in particular the requirement for the party in breach to pay compensation. Specifically, it makes reference to Annex 4 of the Regulations, which state that "a player's training and education take place between the ages of 12 and 23."

References

^ "Jambos in new move for Webster". Daily Record. March 29, 2001. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Harris, Nick (5 May 2007). "Webster ruling sets transfer landmark". The Independent. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/webster-ruling-sets-transfer-landmark-447523.html http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3279498.ece http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20070114/ai_n17130557 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6692841.stm http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09052007/58/premiership-webster-ruling-signals-new-era.html http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article2797091.ece http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/status_transfer_en_25.pdf

^[1]

^[2]

^ Harris, Nick (5 May 2007). "Webster ruling sets transfer landmark". The Independent. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
^ "Jambos in new move for Webster". Daily Record. March 29, 2001. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[arbroath-1] "Jambos in new move for Webster". Daily Record. March 29, 2001. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[landmark-2] Harris, Nick (5 May 2007). "Webster ruling sets transfer landmark". The Independent. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[landmark-3] Harris, Nick (5 May 2007). "Webster ruling sets transfer landmark". The Independent. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[arbroath-4] "Jambos in new move for Webster". Daily Record. March 29, 2001. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[1]