Smajlagic

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon15November2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerSemirSmajlagic BY: LíviaSILVAKÄGI(Brazil),DeputyChairwoman StefanoSARTORI(Italy),member DanaMOHAMEDAL-NOAIMI(Qatar),member CLAIMANT: SemirSmajlagic,BosniaandHerzegovina RESPONDENT: JSKabylie,Algeria I.Factsofthecase 1.Accordingtotheplayer,heandJSKabylieconcludedandemploymentcontractvalidasfrom20January2023until31December2024.Theplayerattachedanunsignedcopyofsaidcontract(hereinafter:Version1ofthecontract) 2.Accordingtoart.3oftheVersion1ofthecontract,theplayerwasentitledtoDZD(AlgerianDinar)3,373,429.25gross,convertibletoEUR15,000net. 3.Inaddition,theVersion1ofthecontractestablishedthathewasentitledtoEUR10,000assign-onbonus. 4.TheClaimant’sversionofthecontractincludedthefollowingsignaturefield: 5.Furthermore,theplayerprovidedinhisclaimanothercontract(Version2ofthecontract),stipulatingaperiodofvalidityfrom20January2023until31December2024andamonthlyremunerationofDZD3,373,429,25. 6.Art.8oftheVersion2ofthecontractstipulatedthatdisputesshallberesolvedamicablyandthat,inthealternative,disputesshallbesubmittedbyeitherpartytotheAlgerianNDRC(ledifferedestsoumisparl’uneoul’autrepartieàlachambrederesolutiondeslitigesdelaFAF). 7.Saidversionincludedthefollowingsignature: 8.Inaddition,anothercontract(Version3ofthecontract)isavailableintheTransferMatchingSystem(TMS),indicatingaperiodofvalidityfrom20January2023until19January2025andamonthlyremunerationofDZD3,373,429,25. 9.Theversion3includedthefollowingsignaturefield: II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 10.On1August2023,theplayersentadefaultnoticeandrequestedthepaymentofhisentiresalariesofMaytoJuly2023,aswellashissign-onbonus,within15days. 11.On17August2023,theplayersentaterminationletter,indicatingthatthefollowingamountswerestilloutstanding: -EUR15000forthesalaryofMay2023; -EUR15000forthesalaryofJune2023; -EUR15000orthesalaryofJuly2023; -EUR10000assigningbonus. 12.On18August2023,theclubrepliedandissuedconcernsregardingtheaccuracyoftheprovidedsalarystatementandhighlightedthetimingofsalarypayments.TheclubexpresseditscommitmenttoresolvingtheoutstandingJune2023paymentby31/08/2023andrequesteddocumentationforthe10,000EURsigningbonus.Additionally,theclubreiteratedthatsalariesaredenominatedinAlgeriandinars,noteuros.Theclubinsistedinitsintenttomaintainthecontractualrelationshipwiththeplayerandexplainedthatitincludedhiminthe2023/2024seasonsquadforanupcomingtrainingcampinTunisia,commencingon20/08/2023. 13.On20August2023,theclubsentanewlettertotheplayer,notingthatheleftAlgeriaandindicatingthathissalarieswerepaidon14August2023. 14.On27August2023,theclublodgedaformalrequestbeforetheChambreNationaledeRésolutiondesLitiges(AlgerianNDRC),requestingtheterminationofthecontractduetotheplayer’sabsencesandthepaymentofcompensationintheamountofDZD10,000,000. 15.On6September2023,theAlgerianNDRCrenderedadecisionstating,interalia,thattheclubshallpaytotheplayer,theamountofDZD2,007,883.62forthesalaryofJune2023,aswellasdeclaringthattheplayerisreleasedfromanycontractualobligation. 16.TheplayerinformedFIFAthatheremainedunemployed. 17.On03September2023,theplayerlodgedaclaimbeforetheFIFAFootballTribunalforoutstandingremunerationandbreachofcontractwithoutjustcauseandrequestedthepaymentofthefollowingamounts: ▪Outstandingremuneration,plus5%interestp.a.asfromtherelevantpaymentdatesuntilthedateofeffectivepayment,specifiedasfollows: -DZD1,197,023.19for11daysofJanuary2023grosssalary. -DZD3,373,429.25forMay2023grosssalary. -DZD3,373,429.25forJune2023grosssalary. -DZD1,849,944.94for17daysofAugust2023grosssalary. -EUR10,000assign-onfee(note:equivalenttoapprox.DZD1,351,351.35). ▪DZD55,498,348.1ascompensationforbreachofcontract+5%interestasfrom17August2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. Total:DZD66,643,526.08 18.Theplayerexplainedthathesignedtwocontracts,butthatheneverreceivedacopy includingthesign-onfee. 19.Initsreply,theRespondentarguedthat,on27August2023,itstartedanarbitrationprocedurebeforetheChambreNationaledeRésolutiondesLitiges(AlgerianNDRC)andnotedthattheclaimoftheplayerbeforeFIFAwaslodgedafterwards. 20.Theclubdisputedthevalidityoftheplayer'scontractterminationforjustcause,claimingthattheplayeractedinbadfaith. 21.Theclubassertedithasfulfilleditssalaryobligations,asfollows: Date Amount(DA) Description 28March2023 2,280,000 SalaryforFebruary2023 12April2023 2,280,000 SalaryforMarch2023 11May2023 2,280,000 SalaryforApril2023 AvisdeDebit,11June2023 13June2023 2,280,000 SalaryforMay2023 Payslipdated29June2023 14August2023 2,280,000 SalaryforJuly2023 Statementfromtheclub 22.Theclubfurtherprovidedadocument(“AvisdeDébit”)indicatingthepaymentofDZD2,010,263.62followingthedecisionoftheAlgerianNDRC. 23.TheclubarguedthatitpaidinexcesstheamountofDZD408,813.75totheplayer. 24.Astotherequestedsign-onbonuses,theplayerdisputeditisdue,asitclaimedthatitisbasedonaunilateralandfictitiouscontract. 25.Theclubrequestedcompensationfordamagesrelatedtotheplayer'sdepartureandunjustifiedabsenceand,inparticular,requeste