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Protection of minors

The European Commission is committed to tackling the problem of the exploitation of young players in the context of the implementation of the Directive on the Protection of Young People at Work.

The most serious problem concerns young people from outside the EU who are not selected for competitions and are abandoned in a foreign country, often in a situation of poverty which fosters their further exploitation. The abuse and exploitation of young players is unacceptable given the fundamental values recognised by the EU and its Member States.

The protection of minors in sport would benefit from more effective regulation of the activities of players' agents, better licensing systems for sport clubs, and social dialogue in the sports sector.

More information

Last update: 07 February 2013

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