US government backs antitrust lawsuit against FIFA policy

Related Sports, which is controlled by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, is the plaintiff.

NEW YORK (AP) — The president’s administration of United States Joe Biden favored the developer who filed an antitrust suit against FIFA And Football Federation No USA about the world soccer’s governing body’s policy against holding league games in other countries and asked the Supreme Court to allow the case to proceed.

Attorney General Elizabeth B. In a 23-page report filed by Prelogger, the government said the Supreme Court should review the case and allow the 2023 Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision to stand.

The federation “did not act independently. Instead, it participated in an alliance with a member association which adopted a policy binding on its member associations and relied on that policy as support for its statement to deny approval of the proposed matches,” the government wrote.

The government added that the federation “was not randomly selected as a member FIFAThat he was a passive entity or an unconscious bystander in the adoption and implementation of the 2018 policy.”

Related gameswhich controls the owner of Miami Dolphins Stephen Ross announced in August 2018 that it intends to host a meeting of Barcelona in front of him Girona in Miami Gardens, Florida.

But in October 2018, the FIFA indicated that its board of directors had adopted a policy which “emphasized the sporting principle that official league games should be played in the territory of the respective member of the association.” Barcelona dropped its commitment to play Florida.

The Federation refused to grant another permit Related games in 2019 to authorize a league duel between the two teams Ecuador.

Related games He claimed it was a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and tortious interference.

In July 2021, District Judge Valerie Caproni granted the federation’s motion to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit. Chief Judge Debra Ann Livingston and Circuit Judges Raymond J. Lohier Jr. and Gerard E. In March 2023, the Second Circuit of Appeals reinstated the antitrust claim in a unanimous decision by Lynch.

The federation asked the Supreme Court to hear the case in August and invited the government to submit a report giving its opinion in November.

This FIFA filed a new motion to dismiss with a trial date in December, asserting that the federation is not its agent in the country and that the court has no jurisdiction over it. FIFA. While the Federation of USA filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the charges were barred by an agreement reached between the federation and Relevant in 2016.

This FIFAAdvocate of the Federation and Related games, Jeffrey KesslerRequests for comment were not responded to.