Former Hereford FC manager Russell Slade is leading a campaign which suggests there has been unlawful use of personal information and performance statistics of professional footballers.
Called Project Red Card it already has over 850 players involved. They are demanding compensation of trading of their data.
The Guardian says it is understood that “letters before action” have been sent to 17 major firms, alleging data misuse.
Slade is part owner of a company called Global Sports Data and Technology (GSDT).
“We are very confident that we can win any case, if it actually goes to court,” Slade said. “What we would rather do is talk and resolve the matter with these companies that are collecting the data, processing the data and using it without the players’ consent. I want to bring it to the attention of everybody and solve it going forward so the control goes back to the players, so we know that data that is going out is accurate and correct, and a fair reflection of the individual.”
Slade told BBC Wales about the use of player's data.
"It's incredible where it's used," Slade said. "On one player, and I'm not talking about a Premier League player or even a Championship player, there was some 7,000 pieces of information on one individual player at a lower league football club.
"There are companies that are taking that data and processing that data without the individual consent of that player.
"A big part of our journey has been looking at that ecosystem and plotting out where that data starts, who's processing it, where it finishes and that's a real global thing.
"It's making football - and all sports - aware of the implications and what needs to change."