Football·International Regulations·FIFA
FIFA National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) Standard Regulations - 2008 edition
- Adopted
- 2007/05/31
FIFA National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) Standard Regulations — the model FIFA wrote for national associations so that they may establish their own internal dispute resolution body on the basis of equal representation of clubs and players.
| Subject matter | Model regulations for the establishment of a National Dispute Resolution Chamber within member associations |
| Origin | The FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber, established in 2001 |
| Governing principle | Equal representation of clubs (employer) and players (employee) |
| Length | 10 pages |
What these regulations determine
The preamble states the rationale of the document plainly: the pyramid of world football rests on two pillars, the players who play on the pitch and the clubs that bring them together as teams. The relationship between club and player in professional football is a contractual and employment relationship and, like any other relationship in society, gives rise to disputes.
It was for this purpose that FIFA established the Dispute Resolution Chamber in 2001: an arbitral body founded on equal representation of clubs and players, providing a faster and less costly mechanism for employment-related disputes with an international dimension. The preamble makes clear that this mechanism does not negate the legal right to refer employment disputes to other recognised bodies, but rather offers a football-specific structure that is more familiar with the realities of football today.
The present document sets out that same model at national level: the composition of the chamber, the method of appointing its members, its jurisdiction, and its procedure.
Why this document is of direct relevance to football in Iran
Domestic disputes between an Iranian club and an Iranian player are heard by the internal bodies of the federation. The question that arises in actual cases is whether that body meets the standards of this document — in particular equal representation and independence.
The answer matters because, if the national body does not satisfy these conditions, the aggrieved party may challenge its jurisdiction. That assessment has been the starting point of the argument in many Iranian cases that have reached FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Who this document matters to
The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in designing and reforming its internal dispute resolution bodies, and counsel for clubs and players, in assessing the jurisdiction of those bodies, are the principal audiences for this document.