Legal Aid
1. In order to guarantee their rights, individuals bound by this Code and with insufficient financial means may request legal aid from FIFA for the purpose of proceedings before the Ethics Committee.
2. Applicants for legal aid must submit reasoned requests and supporting documents.
3. The secretariat establishes a list of pro bono counsel.
4. According to each applicant’s needs, and subject to prior written confirmation by FIFA, legal aid may be provided as follows:
- a. The applicant may be released from having to pay the costs of proceedings.
- b. Pro bono counsel may be selected by the applicant from the list established by the secretariat.
- c. The applicant’s own reasonable travel and accommodation costs and those of witnesses and experts they call to testify may be covered by FIFA, including the travel and accommodation costs of any pro bono counsel selected from the list established by the secretariat.
5. The chairperson of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee decides on requests for legal aid. Such decisions are final.
6. Further conditions and requirements associated with legal aid and pro bono counsel may be communicated by circular letter.
7. In cases where the party could not be reached, the adjudicatory chamber may appoint a pro bono counsel in absentia who will act on their behalf. The absence of the party is established when the adjudicatory chamber has tried to submit the final report by email through the member association and no response has been received 15 days following the notification to the member association in accordance with article 43 of this Code.