The International Players' Union warns of a setback for Asian football in the time of Corona .. "Talents are dwindling"

The Secretary-General of the International Union of Professional Footballers (FIFAPro), Jonas Bayer-Hoffmann, has warned of the danger that years of progress in Asian football will go unheeded if the leagues and clubs fail to care for their players during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The talent will dwindle and the purchases of foreign players will stop if the instability continues and the players’ wages are reduced, "Bayer-Hoffmann said.

The Secretary General of Vivpro gave the example in Indonesia, saying that the "unilateral decision" to reduce players' wages by three quarters caused "great suffering".

"If it was not a sustainable march, people would simply stop," he said. "This is the reality."

"But I also think, in a bigger picture, that there is something at stake in the matter of being a desirable destination for foreign players," he added.

Bayer-Hoffmann added, "These are the destinations that players may fear to go to if they are unable to ensure that they get their salaries, to ensure clubs respect their contracts, and to ensure that the league continues effectively."

The outbreak of the new Corona virus has led to a state of suspicion, especially with the suspension of most professional sports for several months.

In the same vein, Bayer-Hoffmann criticized the AFC, saying it had failed to respond to the needs of vulnerable players.

"We would like to see a role for the (AFC) in some of these severe negative situations at the local level," he said, adding that "unfortunately, there is a severe lack of dealing with players and management."

"We very much expect that the union will set a certain standard, in terms of making a collective decision, in terms of adopting the standards by which we work on a deeper level. This certainly does not happen," he said.

AFP was unable to obtain immediate comment from the Asian Football Confederation.

Bayer-Hoffmann said that the players' welfare problems, although not unique to Asia, "are hindering the development of the game in the region."

He considered that failure to sponsor footballers harms sports, "both in terms of players leaving the game, which reduces its quality, but also in terms of the appreciation of the fans and spectators."

He pointed out that "when they see how some of these situations are dealt with, I think that there is still a strong social connection between the clubs and their regions, and I think (the fans) expect a certain standard."

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