A major point of dispute between clubs and governing bodies has been addressed with FIFA on Friday signing off on its new Club Protection Programme (CPP), reports SportBusiness. The programme seeks to tackle the thorny subject of insurance for players whilst they are competing on international duty.
The CPP was rubber-stamped at the FIFA Congress in Budapest and will provide clubs with a maximum annual payout of US$9.7 million per player injured whilst competing in games included in FIFA's international match calendar.
The agreement will initially run from September 1 through to the end of 2014.The payouts for any injured player will vary from individual to individual depending on the size of their salaries but the maximum amount payable on an injured player will be $27,000 per day. FIFA said the overall estimated cost of the programme is around $75 million.
A FIFA statement added: "Through the club protection programme FIFA achieves a global harmonised solution on the insurance of players' question to the benefit of confederations, member associations, players and clubs. With this programme FIFA marks an important step for the benefit of the entire football family in a spirit of dialogue and solidarity."
UEFA has already established an insurance scheme covering the injury risk of players while on international team duty from the start of Euro 2012.
Clubs have long asked for such an initiative, a campaign that intensified after Bayern Munchen lost forward Arjen Robben for six months when the Netherlands winger returned injured from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
"This is very important and is a significant step forward," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.
