Children as young as 12 are being “exploited” and “treated as financial commodities” by football clubs that can tie down players for years even if the young players are unhappy playing for them, a lobby group is claiming.

“A recent incident involved the parents of a 16-year-old who were asked to pay €5,000 for their son to be able to move to another club even if his playing opportunities were limited,” The Malta Football Players Association said in a statement.  

“In another case, the parents of three players aged between 16 and 17 had to fork out €1,500 each, over and above the €400 annual membership fee and €180 annual kit fee,” the statement reads. 

The association has filed a complaint with the children's commissioner over the matter. 

According to the Malta Football Association’s (MFA) rules on the transfer of players, 12-year-olds must commit themselves to a club for an “obligatory period of service” of three years.    

Once that period lapses, they must recommit themselves till after they turn 18 if they want to continue playing.  

The MFA rules say it is up to the club to decide if it wants to release a player. That means children cannot move to another team unless the club they belong to accepts. 

The MFPA said that as a result, clubs often ask parents to pay a transfer fee to grant a release. 

“Unfortunately, this system creates situations where minor amateurs are practically at the mercy of their clubs and treated as commodities,” MFPA added.  

This practice has become the norm over the years, the association said, adding that local rules breached the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children, it claimed were being “exploited for economic gain”, and denied the right to leisure and their ability to participate in cultural life freely.  

“The MFPA has taken action by filing a claim with the Office of the Commissioner for Children on behalf of numerous parents who have approached the association over the years”.  

Questions were sent to the MFA.