{"id":10534,"date":"2023-06-05T15:00:32","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T13:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/?post_type=news&p=10534"},"modified":"2023-06-05T12:18:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T10:18:10","slug":"new-world-players-association-leadership","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/new-world-players-association-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"New World Players Association leadership to intensify efforts to strengthen unions and address power imbalances in global sport"},"content":{"rendered":"

Affiliates of the World Players Association (WPA) met at FIFPRO HQ in Amsterdam late last month to elect a new Executive Committee (Ex Co) team to lead the organization through the 2023-26 period.<\/p>\r\n

The WPA, which is headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland, brings together over 85,000 athletes, through 138 player associations, in over 70 countries, across 17 different sports. The 14-person Ex Co, comprising the leading representatives of athletes globally, committed to scaling up efforts to build the power of the player association movement and stop the harm arising from the power imbalances many athletes are subject to because of global sport\u2019s governance and institutions. This includes threats to their health and safety, the exploitation of their commercial rights, and cases of widespread abuse.<\/p>\r\n

Tony Clark, Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), was elected as WPA\u2019s new President. Clark\u2019s election follows an active 18 months where MLBPA players have withstood a 99-day lockout and taken historic steps to organize and welcome minor league players into the union – including the conclusion of a first CBA.<\/p>\r\n

MLBPA, Executive Director, and incoming WPA President, Tony Clark, said:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe MLBPA has a proud, 57-year history of success rooted in unity and a highly engaged membership. We look forward to actively contributing to building the strength and solidarity of our brother and sister unions globally. As the MLBPA\u2019s history clearly demonstrates – the right to organize and ensuring athletes have an equal say in all matters affecting their careers and livelihoods – must be the basis for athlete rights worldwide.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n

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New World Players President, Tony Clark from the MLBPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n

President Biden\u2019s former Secretary of Labor and new Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players\u2019 Association (NHLPA), Marty Walsh, <\/strong>is a new addition to the Ex Co, along with Stefano Sartori,<\/strong> who is a veteran of the player association movement with the Italian footballer\u2019s union – the Associazione Italiana Calciatori (AIC).<\/p>\r\n

They join the following long-serving members:<\/p>\r\n