Roberge

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon28September2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerValentinSebastienRogerRoberge BY: MicheleColucci(Italy) CLAIMANT: ValentinSebastienRogerRoberge,France RepresentedbyLoizosHadjidemetriou RESPONDENT: ApollonLimassol,Cyprus RepresentedbyAlkisPapantoniou I.Factsofthecase 1.AsofJuly2016,theFrenchplayerValentinSebastienRogerRoberge(hereinaftertheClaimantorthePlayer)andtheCypriotclubApollonLimassol(hereinaftertheRespondentortheClub)concludedseveralemploymentagreements. 2.On25August2021,theClaimantandtheRespondent(jointlyreferredtoastheParties)signedanemploymentagreement(hereinaftertheEmploymentAgreement),validasfrom25August2021until30June2023. 3.InaccordancewithClause1.3oftheEmploymentAgreement,thePartiesagreeduponthefollowingfinancialconditions: “1.3.1.From31/8/2021until31/5/2022,amonthlygrosssalaryof€16.200(€14.000net)inten(10)instalments. 1.3.2.From31/8/2022until31/5/2023,amonthlygrosssalaryof€16.200(€14.000net)inten (10)instalments. AlltaxespayabletotheTaxDepartment,aspertheapplicablelegislation,shallbepaidbytheClub,exceptthecontributionfortheGeneralHealthcareSystem(GHS)accordingtothenewLawwhichwillbepaidbytheClubandwillbedeductedfromthemonthlynetsalaryofthePlayer(deductionof2,65%afterFeb2020)” 4.Furthermore,Clause13oftheEmploymentAgreementstipulatedthefollowing: “13.DisputeResolution AnyemploymentdisputebetweentheClubandthePlayershallfallundertheexclusivejurisdictionoftheNationalDisputeResolutionChamberoftheCFAandshallberesolvedaccordingtotheapplicableregulationsoftheCFA.” 5.NexttotheEmploymentAgreement,thePartiesfurthermoresignedasupplementaryagreement(hereinaftertheSupplementaryAgreement),entitlingtheClaimanttoadditionalbonusesdependingonthesportingresultsoftheRespondent. 6.On5and8June2023,thePartiessignedtwoseparatesettlementagreements,settlingtheamountofoutstandingoverduestothePlayerintheamountofEUR80,730. 7.Intheterminationagreement(hereinaftertheTerminationAgreement),thePartiesagreedthattheRespondentshallmakethefollowingpayments: “B.Inconsiderationofthetermination,ApollonandthePlayeragreeandacceptthatAPOLLONshallarrangethetotalamountof€27.258net(twenty-seventhousandtwohundredandfifty-eight)intotalwhichwillbepaidasmentionedbelowatthepersonalbankaccountoftheplayer: €13629payableat1/7/2023(salaryofApril2023),witha15-daygraceperiod. €13629payableat1/8/2023(salaryofMay2023),witha15-daygraceperiod.” 8.Inthefinancialagreement(hereinaftertheFinancialAgreement),thePartiesagreedthattheRespondentshallmakethefollowingpayments: “B.Inconsiderationofthetermination,ApollonandtheplayeragreeandacceptthatAPOLLONshallarrangethetotalamountof€53.472net(fifty-three-thousand-four-hundred-seventy-two-euronet)inadditiontotheamountsstatedintheTerminationAgreementwhichwillbepaidasmentionedbelowatthepersonalbankaccountofthePlayer: 1.€11730payableat1/7/2023,witha15-daygraceperiod. 2.€11742payableat1/8/2023,witha15-daygraceperiod. 3.€1500payableat1/9/2023,witha15-daygraceperiod. 4.€1500payableat1/10/2023,witha15-daygraceperiod.” 9.BoththeTerminationandtheFinancialAgreementcontainedthefollowingprovisions: “C.(…)IncaseofdisputebothpartiesmutuallyagreethatwillbehandledbytherelevantFIFAbodiesforsettlement.” D.lncaseAPOLLONfailstofullypayanyoneoftheaboveinstalmentsuntiltheexpiryofitsgraceperiod,andaftertheplayerhassentanoticetotheClubgivingtoApollonanother5workingdaysforthesettlementoftheunpaidinstalment,allremaininginstalmentsshallbecomeimmediatelydueandpayableandAPOLLONshallalsohavetopayapenaltyequaltothe10%ofallremainingamounts,(…)” 10.On18August2023,theClaimantsentadefaultnoticetotheRespondent,requestingtheamountswhichbecamedueon1August2023.Initscorrespondence,theformergrantedtheRespondentfivedaystocomplywithitsfinancialobligations,however,tonoavail. II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 11.On28August2023,theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 12.TherequestsforreliefoftheClaimantwerethefollowing: “i.EUR55,371netpluslegalinterestfrom01/08/2023untilfullsettlement. ii.EUR5,537ascontractualpenalty.” 13.TheClaimantarguedthatClauseDoftheTerminationandtheFinancialAgreementwastriggered,and,hence,theaccelerationclausewastriggered.Basedonthelegalprinciplepactasuntservanda,theClaimantrequestedthetotaloutstandingamountaswellasapenaltyclause. b.PositionoftheRespondent 14.TheRespondentdidnotdisputethatitdidnotcomplywithitsobligationsbasedonthepaymentschedulesoftheTerminationandtheFinancialAgreement,yetrequested: “(a)todeterminethatthecontractualpenaltyof10%isexcessiveanddisproportionate; (b)todeterminethatthePlayer'srequestforthecontractualpenaltyisunenforceableandmustberejected.” 15.Inthisrespect,theRespondentwasoftheopinionthatduetothefactsthat(i)“theClubwasonly3dayslateonthepaymentofthedueamountsforAugust2023,astheseamountswerepayabletothePlayeruntil15.08.2023”,(ii)“thePlayerfailedtomakeanyreferencetothepenaltyfeeinhisnotice”,(iii)“failureoftheClubtocompleteapaymentforonly13day