Sardon

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon22November2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerJoséAugustoSardon COMPOSITION: FransDEWEGER(TheNetherlands),ChairpersonJohanVANGAALEN(SouthAfrica),MemberCalumBEATTIE(Scotland),Member CLAIMANT: JoséAugustoSardon,Argentina RepresentedbyArielN.Reck RESPONDENT: SitraSC,Bahrain I.Factsofthecase 1.On7July2022,theArgentinianplayer,JoséAugustoSardon(hereinafter:theClaimantortheplayer)andtheBahrainiclub,SitraSC(hereinafter:theRespondentortheclub)concludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:thecontract)validasfrom1August2022until30April2023,oruntiltheendofthelastofficialmatchoftheclubintherelevantseason. 2.Inthefirstpartofthecontract,itwasmentionedthattheplayerholdstheBahraininationality. 3.Clause4ofthecontractreadsasfollows(quotedverbatim):“[theclub]isobligedtothefollowing: -[theclub]isobligedtopayamonthlysalarytotheplayerintheamountofUSD3000/-onlyfrom01/08/2022tothelastmatchoftheclubfootballfirstteaminthesportsseason2022-2023. -Provideanadequateaccommodationandtransportationtotheplayeruntilthelastmatchoftheclubfootballfirstteaminthesportsseason2022/2023. -[theclub]isobligedtoprovideaPlayerticket. -payacommissiontotheplayer’sagentat10%ofthevalueofthecontractonbehalfoftheplayer”. 4.Clause9ofthecontractreadsasfollows: “1.-Thecontractendswiththeexpiryofitsterm,orbyagreementofthepartiesaccordingtoaclearingbetweentheminfinancial,administrativeandtechnicalmatters. 2-Eitherpartyhastherighttoterminatethecontractifthereisalegitimatereasonorajustsportingreason,subjecttotheregulationsofthenationalandInternationalFootballAssociations. 3-Theforegoingshallnotprejudiceallotherrightsoftheplayerunderthiscontract. 4-Incase,anywishestocancelthesettledcontractduringitsvalidity,thepartywishingtoendthecontractisobligedtopayanamountof9000/-USD(Ninethousandonly)asapenaltyconditiontotheotherparty. -ifanyclauseofthiscontractisviolatetheFIFAandBFAregulations,thisclausewillbedeclarednullandthecontractshallbevalid.” 5.On28January2023,theRespondentsenttotheplayeraterminationnotice(hereinafter; theterminationnotice)whichincludedthefollowinginformation: “[…]KindlytreatthisletterforasyourNoticeofTerminationofemploymentwithSitraCulturalandSportsClubfromitsdateandaccordingtowhatwasspecifiedinCondition4ofClause9ofthecontractconcludedonJuly7,2022,whichobligesthepartyresponsiblefortheterminationtopayanamountof$9,000asapenaltyclausetotheotherparty.” 6.Itistobenotedthatthecopyoftheterminationnoticeprovidedbytheclubincludedtheacknowledgementandsignatureoftheplayerwhichwasquotedasfollows:“WhenIsignthisletterofunilateralterminationbytheclub,IhavenotyetreceivedtheamountdescribedintheletterandIstillhavetoreceivethesalaryforthemonthofJanuary”. 7.On28January2023,theplayersignedanemploymentcontractwiththeBahrainiclub,EtehadAlReef,validasfromthedateofsignatureuntil31May2023,withamonthlysalaryofUSD500. II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 8.On28August2023,theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 9.Inhisclaim,theplayerarguedthattheclubfailedtocomplywithitsfinancialobligationsunderthecontractbynotpayingthefollowingamounts: -December2022andJanuary2023salaries(USD6,000). -ThehousingallowancefromAugust2022untilJanuary2023,totallingBHD3,015,8(BHD112+BHD653+BHD450+BHD450+BHD450+BHD450+BHD450)equivalenttoUSD7,990.Theplayerprovidedevidenceonthispointandindicatedthatthementionedamountswerepaidon13February2023. -Thereimbursementoftheflightticket(USD1,567).Theplayerprovidedevidenceonthispoint. 10.Inaddition,theClaimantstressedthatthecontractwasterminatedwithoutjustcauseandrequestedthepaymentofUSD9,000ascompensationinaccordancewithclause9ofthecontract. 11.TheClaimantfurtherrequestedinterestof5%p.a.asfrom28January2023overtheoutstandingamountsandcompensationandtoapplysportingsanctionsontheclub. b.InformationrequestedtotheBahrainFootballAssociation(BFA) 12.On29August2023,theFIFAgeneralsecretariatrequestedtheBFAtoinformFIFAunderwhichnationalitytheplayerwasregisteredwiththeclub. 13.On3September2023,BFAconfirmedthattheplayerwasregisteredwiththeArgentiniannationality,andthatitappearsthattheclubhadmistakenlylistedtheplayerwiththeBahraininationalityinthecontract. c.PositionoftheRespondent 14.Initsreply,theRespondentstatedthatitpaidalmostalltheamountsrequestedbytheplayer,andthattheremainingamountduetotheplayerwasUSD3,000. 15.Inthiscontext,theclubprovidedwiththefollowingtableshowingthepaymentsitperformedduringthecontract: Salaries BankcheckAmount(BHD) housingfees Date AugustSalaryTransfer 1,134 Therearenohousingfeesfortheplayer’sresidenceintheclub’sprivateresidence. 05-09-2022 SeptemberSalaryTransfer 1,134 Therearenohousingfeesfortheplayer’sresidenceintheclub’sprivateresidence. 06-10-2022 OctoberSalaryTransfer 1,320 10-11-2022 NovemberSalaryTransfer 1,384 09-12-2022 DecemberSalaryTransfer 1,384 03-01-2023 16.Inthisregard,theclubsubmittedassupportingevidence5chequesissuedbythecompany“TumoohSportManagement”,withtheamountsmentionedab