Ben-Kmayal

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon8November2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerKareemBen-Kmayal BY: IñigoRiestra(Mexico) CLAIMANT: KareemBen-Kmayal,UnitedKingdom RepresentedbyLoizosHadjidemetriou RESPONDENT: Pegeia2014,Cyprus RepresentedbyPanayiotisGeorgiou I.Factsofthecase 1.On7August2022,theBritishplayerKareemBen-Kmayal(hereinafter:theClaimantorthePlayer)andtheCypriotclubPegeia2014(hereinafter:theRespondentortheClub)concludedanemploymentagreement(hereinafter:theContract). 2.Art.1oftheContractreadsinteraliaasfollows: 1.1ThedurationofthisContractshallbefrom01/08/2022(date)until30/06/2023(date.(…) 1.3Theplayersgrossremunerationshallbeasfollows: 1.3.1From31/08/2022until30/04/2023amonthlygrosssalaryof€1887(€1700net) 1.4anyothergrosspaymentsandbonusesshallbepayableasfollows:accommodation promotionbonus2000euros50eurospergoal 50eurosperassist 1.5anyotherbenefitsandorallowances: Thereisnot 3.On15July2023,theRespondentsendacorrespondencestatingthattheClaimantowedseveralamountsfordifferentconceptsandrequestedhimtopayEUR1,678.38within7days. II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 4.On16September2023,theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 5.TheClaimantstatesthatthefactthattheContractdoesnotspecifyasalaryforMayandJune2023iscontrarytotheCypruslegislationaswellastheFIFAregulationsandSwisslaw“andthereforeillegal”. 6.TheClaimantsustainsthat“theCyprusGovernmenthasrecentlyimplementedanationalminimumsalaryforallfulltimeworkersinCyprus”. 7.Thus,theClaimantsustainsthatheisentitledtothesalariesofApril,MayandJune2023. 8.TheClaimantreferstotheletteroftheRespondentsenton15July2023andstatesthatitis“nothingmorethanamaliciousattempttoavoiditscontractualobligations”.InparticulartheClaimantstatesthat: TheRespondent’sallegationsthattheClaimantleftCypruswithoutsettlingtheutilitybillsandthathecauseddamagetotheapartmentprovidedtohimbytheRespondent,aretotallyabsurd.AsexpresslystatedintheCoE,clause1.4,theRespondentwastoprovidetheClaimantwithaccommodation.ItwasneveragreedthattheClaimantwouldhaveanycontractualobligationstowardstheRespondentinrespectofanyutilitybills.ThishasbeenthecasethroughouttheClaimant’semploymentbytheRespondentsincetheClaimanthadneverpaidorwasrequestedtopayanyutilitybills. TheRespondentisnotentitledtoanyamountsfromtheClaimantsincetheCoEdoesnotgivetherighttotheRespondenttowithholdanyamountsfromtheClaimant’ssalaryorpayanyexpensesonhisbehalfandthenrequestreimbursementoftheseexpensesbytheClaimant.Asexpresslystatedinart.232aoftheS.C.O.,anemployermaywithholdpartofthesalaryonlyifthisisallowedbyanindividuaorcollectiveagreementorcustom.Withholdingpartofanemployee’ssalaryisalsoprohibitedundertheCypruslawonProtectionofSalaries,whichalsoconstitutessuchwithholdingacriminaloffence. 9.TheClaimantfiledthefollowingrequestsforrelief: 1.TheClaimantrequeststheFIFADRCtoordertheRespondenttopayhim,inthebankaccountsentattachedasexhibit2,thefollowingamounts: i.EUR1,700,pluslegalinterestsince01/05/2023,untilfullsettlement. ii.EUR1,700pluslegalinterestsince01/06/2023,untilfullsettlement. iii.EUR1,700pluslegalinterestsince01/07/2023,untilfullsettlement b.PositionoftheRespondent 10.TheRespondentstatesthatthe2ndNationalDivisionofCyprusconsists“oftwophases:(a)regularseasonwhichtakesplacefromSeptembertoJanuary;(b)play-offandplay-outphasewhichtakesplacefromJanuaryto30Aprilofeachrespectiveyear.FollowingtheunprecedentexperienceofCovid-19pandemic,CFAstronglyrecommendstheclubsparticipatingin2ndNationalDivisiontoinclude30ofMayorevenJuneastheexpirydateoftheirrespectiveemploymentcontractsfortoavoidconfusingextensionsand/oramendmentsincaseofunforeseeableevents(i.e.,extensionofthesportingseasonasitdidhappenon2020).Nonetheless,thelastsalaryinstalmentoftheemployee’sremunerationisalwaysagreedtobepaidbynolaterthan30April,whichconstitutesthepracticalendofthesportingseasonoftheabove-mentionedleague.” 11.TheRespondentreferstothecorrespondenceof15July2023inwhichtheClubstatedthattheClaimantfailedtopaytheutilitybillsofhisapartmentanddidsomedamages.ThetotalsumofsuchbillsanddamagesamountedtoEUR1.678,38.TheRespondentinformedthatthisamountwasgoing tobedeductedbythelastinstalmentofPlayer’sremunerationwhichwaspayablebynolaterthan30April2023,aspertheContract.Therefore,thePlayerwasentitledsolelytotheamountofEUR21,62. 12.TheRespondentstatesthattheaforementionedletterremainedunansweredbytheClaimant.Inparticular,theClaimant“failedtochallengetheassertionsincludedthereinregardingtheunpaidutilitybillsanddamages.HealsofailedtomakeanycommentastotheallegedunpaidsalariescorrespondingtoMay2023andJune2023whichweresupposedtobepayabledespiteofthecontraryprovisionsoftheEmploymentContract.Assuch,onemaysaythathecertifieddefactothepositionoftheClub.” 13.IntheviewoftheRespondentthedisputeshallberesolvedbasedontheprincipleofpactasuntservanda.Assuch,theClaimant’sconsiderationsregardingthenationallaw“shallberejectedasclearlyirrelevantandinapplicable”. 14.AccordingtotheRespon