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5 September 2018Copyright

Danish Football Association falls out with national team over image rights

The Danish Football Association ( DBU) has had to scramble together reserve players after an image rights dispute involving the national team’s players.

It comes before the Danish national team are set to play Slovakia in a friendly today, September 5, and a Nations League group stage match against Wales on Sunday, September 9.

Among other things, the dispute concerns the commercial image rights of the national squad.

The DBU said that it wanted more flexible commercial rules involving the players. This would result in more financial backing that could be invested back into Danish football, said the association.

“Among other things, it is a matter of all players making up for the joint campaigns for national team sponsors,” said the DBU. However, the players refused the terms because of their individual private sponsors, the association said.

The parties had failed to negotiate terms before the previous team agreement expired on July 31. In response, the DBU said that the association’s board of directors decided to suspend the negotiations on Saturday, September 1.

“The negotiations are cancelled because there is still a great deal of disagreement about, among other things, the commercial rights for the national team that will ensure earnings to both players and Danish football broadly,” said the DBU.

Subsequently, the commercial activities with the team have been suspended as there is no new agreement.

Yesterday, September 4, the DBU issued a statement announcing the new team, which will include players not usually picked. Notable absentees are likely to be Premier League stars Christian Eriksen and Kasper Schmeichel.

Kim Hallberg, director of the DBU, said it is “crucial for the future of Danish football” that the new team represents Denmark in the games.

Hallberg added that if the DBU did not put together an alternative team, the association could face fines and long-term exclusion from international football.

“It would have major consequences for football in Denmark,” he concluded.

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