Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon15November2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerHaroldFabianPreciadoVillareal COMPOSITION: LíviaSILVAKÄGI(Brazil&Switzerland),DeputyChairwoman DanaMOHAMEDAL-NOAIMI(Qatar),member StefanoSARTORI(Italy),member CLAIMANT: HaroldFabianPreciadoVillareal,Colombia RepresentedbyESQUADabogadosS.L.P. RESPONDENT: ShenzhenFC,ChinaPR I.Factsofthecase 1.On15July2019,theColombianplayer,HaroldFabianPreciadoVillareal(hereinafter:theClaimantorthePlayer)andChineseclub,ShenzhenFC(hereinafter:theRespondentortheClub)concludedanemploymentcontractvalidasfrom1January2022until31December2022(hereinafter:thecontract). 2.On31March2021,thePlayerandtheClub(hereinafterjointlyreferredtoastheparties)concludedasettlementagreement(hereinafter:thesettlementagreement). 3.Inaccordancewiththesettlementagreement,theClubundertooktopaythePlayerEUR4,166,666netoftaxesinthefollowinginstalments: -EUR888,333net,payableon30April2021. -EUR3,333,333net,payablein10instalmentsofEUR333,333eachfromApril2021toJanuary2022respectivelyonthe15thdayofeachmonth. 4.Clause2ofthesettlementagreementreadsasfollows: “ThePartiesconfirmthatapplicationforsubsidiesofafiscalyearwillbeacceptedinthenextfiscalyear,thatis,thetaxauthoritiesshallgrantSubsidiesin2021("2021Subsidies")forindividualincometaxespaidby[theRespondent]onbehalfof[theClaimant]inthefiscalyear2020andanotherSubsidiesin2022forindividualincometaxespaidby[theRespondent]onbehalfof[theClaimant]inthefiscalyear2021("2022Subsidies").Therefore,besidestheSettlementAmountmentionedabove,bothPartywillbeshare(sic)the2021Subsidiesand2022Subsidiesasfollows: 2.1The2021SubsidiesamountingtoaroundEUR2,600,000fullybelongstothePlayer,thisamountwillbepaidbytherelevantgovernmentalauthoritiesbeforetheendsofJanuary2022; 2.2BesidesClause2.1,theClubwillpaythePlayerEUR400,000netoftaxbeforetheendsofJanuary2022. 2.3The2022SubsidieswillbetransferredbythePlayertotheClubprovidedthatinthepreviousyearthefigurestipulatedinthepreviouspointhasbeenreached,ifnottheremainingdifferenceinaccordancewiththetermsandconditionsestablishedbelow.” 5.On11July2022,theClaimantputtheRespondentindefaultandrequestedpaymentofEUR2,900,000netinaccordancewiththesettlementagreement;settinga10days’timelimitinordertoremedythedefault. 6.On14March2023,theClaimantinformedtheChineseFootballAssociation(CFA)thattheClubfailedtopayvariousamountsinaccordancewiththesettlementagreementandrequestedittointerveneinthismatterandensurethattheClubpaidtheamountsdue. 7.On16March2023,theCFAacknowledgedreceiptofthePlayer’scorrespondenceof14March2023. 8.On21March2023,thepartiesconcludedadebtacknowledgementagreement(hereinafter:thedebtacknowledgement). 9.Clause1ofthedebtacknowledgementreadsasfollows(quotedverbatim):“Bothpartiesherebyacknowledgeandagrees: TheremainingoverdueamountoftheSettlementAmountisFIVEMILLIONFIVEHUNDREDTHOUSANDEUROSNET(5,500,000,-€net). [TheRespondent]shallpaytheSettlementAmountasbellow: 1.1."theSettlementAmountpaidtotheplayer’sagent"; FIVEHUNDREDTHOUSANDEUROSNET(500.000.-€net)shallbepaidtotheplayer’sagent(JavierPiquenLopez)onorbefore30thApril2024.Theplayerandplayer’sagent(JavierPiquenLopez)shallcooperatewithShenzhentosignrelevantcontractforthepayment. TheplayerherebyvoluntarilyacknowledgeandagreesShenzhentopayFIVEHUNDREDTHOUSANDEUROSNET(500,000,-€net)fromhisdueSettlementAmounttohisagentandprovideshissignatureasfollows: Mr.HaroldFabianPreciadoVillarreal: Signature:[signature] 1.2."theSettlementAmountpaidtotheplayer"; FIVEMILLIONEUROSNET(5,000,000,-€net)paidtotheplayerinthefollowinginstalments: 1.2.1.Onemillioneurosnet(EUR1,000,000net)onorbefore31stMay2023; 1.2.2.Onemillioneurosnet(EUR1,000,000net)onorbefore31stSeptember2023; 1.2.3.Twomillioneurosnet(EUR2,000,000net)onorbefore31stDecember2023; 1.2.4.Onemillioneurosnet(EUR1,000,000net)onorbefore31stApril2024; TheClubundertakestopaytheInstalmentsdueunderClause1,ontheabovereferenceddatestothePlayerandhisagent.Consequently,shouldtheClubfailstocomply(foranyreason)withthefinancialobligationssetoutherein,itwillbeconsidered,forallpurposes,asamaterialbreachoftheacknowledgement,inwhichcaseprovisionsunderClause3-"DefaultandPenaltyClause"-willthenbefullyenforceable. Bothpartiesexpresslydeclareandrecognizethat,providedthattheyhaveagreednetsumsasSettlementPayment,theClubwillberesponsibleofcarryingouttheappropriatetaxdeductions,ifany,thatmaycorrespondaccordingtotheChineselegislationinforce,sothatthePlayerreceivestheagreedSettlementPaymentinNETterms. Fortheavoidanceofdoubt,shouldtheClubdoesnotmakethedeductionsandwithholdingsthatmaybeapplicableinaccordancewiththeChineselegislationinforce,bothpartiesagreethatshouldtheChinesetaxauthoritiesrequestthePlayertopayanysuchamounts,[theRespondent]willhavetopaysuchamountsonbehalfofthePlayerandifthePlayerpayssuchamounts,heshallhavetherighttoclaimsuchamountsfromtheClubandtheClubshallbeobligedtopaytheamountclaimedtothePlayer,forthepurposeoftheplayerreceivingthetotalSettlementPaymentagreedinNETterms.” 10.Clause3ofthedebtack