Barcelona have had an application to establish an academy near Copenhagen turned down by the Danish Football Association.
The DBU rejected the move for the academy, aimed at children aged six to 16, on the grounds that “the plans conflict with the Danish regulations for the protection of children”. These aim to safeguard children’s well-being, happiness and security.
The DBU said on its website that it did not feel it was wise for children as young as six to be in an elite training environment, particularly if the child was eventually to be rejected.
The FA is also worried that Danish clubs might lose out over homegrown talent and that allowing an academy for Barcelona would set a precedent for big clubs from other countries to move in on up-and-coming youngsters. “We must safeguard the development of talent in Danish football,” it said.
Barcelona had announced their plan in March when Allan Simonsen, who became the first Dane to represent the Catalan club in 1979, said the academy would offer young Danish prospects what he described as an “entirely different philosophy”.
