FIFA draws up guidelines to tackle pay-cut complaints

World soccer’s governing body FIFA is attempting to step in and take some of the heat off of major clubs and high profile players looking to manage loses and still contribute to healthcare efforts, while no sport is being played.

According to an internal document seen by Reuters, FIFA is looking to deal with complaints and appeals over possible wage cuts, which have become a major controversy, particularly in England.

The Premier League announced publicly last week that it was looking for its players to give up or defer 30% of their wages.

A move that was labelled a “disgrace” on Sunday (April 5) by former England captain Wayne Rooney, adding that decisions on pay cuts should be made on a case-by-case basis.

In other countries, such as Germany and Spain, players have accepted temporary reductions in earnings, while Italian champions Juventus agreed to a temporary pay freeze.

The internal paper from FIFA notes that such decisions will inevitably differ country to country.

Its preferred outcome for the ongoing discussions, including those at the Premier League, is to reach ”appropriate collective agreements.”

FIFA’s hope is to balance the need for clubs to protect their assets and business interests, while considering the financial impact of the situation clubs find themselves in with no games to play.