International transfers and athletes’ labor relations: the role of international sports federations in ensuring fairness and transparency
Keywords:
Athletes, Freedom of Movement, Labor Law, Transfer Fee, Transfer of Football PlayersAbstract
The relevance of the research is driven by the growing significance of international transfers in the sports industry and the need to increase transparency in these processes, especially in the context of the globalization of sports markets. Additionally, an increasing number of athletes face difficulties in securing their labor rights, which calls for greater attention to the role of sports federations in this area. The main objective of this article was to analyze the role of international sports federations in regulating athlete transfers, ensuring transparency and fairness in these processes. The study focuses on how these federations implement regulatory mechanisms to support fair transfer conditions for athletes and clubs, as well as on the challenges and limitations in achieving transparency and fairness within the current regulatory system. In modern sports, transfers are an integral part of labor relations, significantly impacting the rights of athletes. However, challenges arise related to financial inequality between clubs, opacity in agreements, and restrictions on athletes’ freedom of movement.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Оlena Lutsenko , Olena Sereda , Rostyslav Shchokin , Kostyantyn Trishin, Viktor Chyzh

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