Foreign footballers should be made to learn English like other migrant workers, MPs have told ministers.
Under pressure from football authorities, the Government has allowed footballers to remain outside rules requiring new workers to learn the language.
Clubs had argued that the rule could put an undue restriction on their ability to compete in the international transfer market.
The Commons Home Affairs Committee has now dismissed that and said that the special exemption granted to footballers cannot be justified.
Suggesting that ministers granted the exemption because of thefinancial clout of the big clubs, the Labour-led committee insisted thatplayers should be required to demonstrate "a basic level of competencein English".
"We are at a loss to understand why specific exemption from the English languagerequirement has been made for footballers and not for any other occupation whichrequires international mobility," the committee said.
Under pressure from football authorities, the Government has allowed footballers to remain outside rules requiring new workers to learn the language.
Clubs had argued that the rule could put an undue restriction on their ability to compete in the international transfer market.
The Commons Home Affairs Committee has now dismissed that and said that the special exemption granted to footballers cannot be justified.
Suggesting that ministers granted the exemption because of thefinancial clout of the big clubs, the Labour-led committee insisted thatplayers should be required to demonstrate "a basic level of competencein English".
"We are at a loss to understand why specific exemption from the English languagerequirement has been made for footballers and not for any other occupation whichrequires international mobility," the committee said.



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