A complaint by seven former professional players against the UNFP (players’ union) and Panini France for the alleged fraudulent marketing of the famous stickers bearing their photos was dismissed in early November, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday. “The public prosecutor’s office closed the case on November 4, on the grounds that no criminal offence had been committed. This dispute had already been brought before the civil courts”.said the public prosecutor.

The seven former players had launched a new stage in a long-running dispute, filing a complaint in early September in Paris for fraud and active corruption of a private agent against the National Union of Professional Footballers and the subsidiary of the Italian Panini group. The players, who include former French international and Rennes player Jimmy Briand and former Paris striker Fabrice PancrateThe rights to their image had been transferred by their union, UNFP, to a commercial subsidiary and then to Panini France. “Unsurprisingly, this simple complaint was dismissed, as in over 80% of cases. A complaint with civil action is in the process of being regularized”.reacted their lawyers, Elie Dottelonde and Laure Diu-Lambrechts, on Tuesday.

First conviction mid-May

In their complaint, the players also denounced a “opacity of financial flows and links”. between Philippe Piat, head of UNFP since 1969, and Alain Guerrini, head of Panini France since 1979. They “are partners in a number of companies, and Philippe Piat shows unfailing support for his friend by using his position in French professional soccer to facilitate his access to key positions”.said the parties represented in the document.

The dispute between these players and UNFP and Panini France has already been the subject of civil proceedings. In mid-May, the Paris judicial court ordered the two companies to pay damages to four soccer players who play or have played in Ligue 1 or 2, including one of the plaintiffs in the criminal proceedings.

The court had ruled that the UNFP had failed to prove that its commercial subsidiary, bound by a contract with Panini, was the owner of the players’ image rights. Me Elie Dottelonde told AFP that he had appealed against this decision in view of “the derisory amounts awarded by the courts to his clients.