Ikic

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon26October2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerFraneIkic BY: CliffordJ.Hendel(USA&France),DeputyChairpersonJorgeGutiérrez(CostaRica),member StellaMarisJuncos(Argentina),member CLAIMANT/COUNTER-RESPONDENT: FraneIkic,Croatia RepresentedbyDupovacFeđa RESPONDENT/COUNTERCLAIMANT: FKVELEŽMostar,BosniaandHerzegovina RepresentedbySanelMasic INTERVENINGPARTY: BuxoroFK,Uzbekistan I.Factsofthecase 1.On1July2022,theCroatianplayer,FraneIkic(hereinafter:Claimant/Counter-Respondentorplayer)andtheBosnianclubFKVelezMostar(hereinafter:Respondent/Counter-Claimantorclub)concludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:contract)validasfrom1July2022until31May2024. 2.Accordingtothecontract(includingtheannex),theRespondentundertooktopaytheClaimantthefollowingmonies: -BosnianMark(BAM)6,825asmonthlysalaryduring2022/2023season; -BAM8,775asmonthlysalaryduring2023/2024season; -BAM11,700assigningbonus,payableuntilthestartoftheseason: -BAM5,850asinstalmentdueatthebeginningofthesecondseason. 3.Accordingtothecontract,themonthlysalaryfelldueonthe“10thdayofthemonthforthepreviousmonthofwork”. 4.On31August2022,theclub’spresidentrequestedtheclub’sdisciplinarycommissiontoimplement“suitablesanctions”againsttheplayersandstaffduetothepoorsportingresults. 5.On1September2022,thedisciplinarycommissiondecidedtosanctionplayersandstaffwithareductionof30%oftheAugust2022salaryduetothepoorsportingresults. 6.On2September2022,thedecisionwasnotifiedtoplayersandstaffandeveryoneaccepteditinwriting,apartfromtheClaimantandanotherplayer. 7.On26December2022,theplayercontactedtheclubsuggestingamutualterminationagainstpaymentofalloutstandingremunerationplus4salariesfor2023. 8.Between26December2022and29December2022exchangedcorrespondenceandagreedonameetingfor30December2022. 9.On18January,accordingtotheclub,theplayershowedupattheclub’spremises,butrefusedtoacceptpaymentforhissalaryrelatedtoAugust2022. 10.On19January2023,theplayerputtheclubindefaultandrequestedpaymentofBAM20,325,correspondingtopartialsalariesforAugust,NovemberandDecember2022(3xBAM4,825)aswellasapartofthesign-onfee(BAM5,850).TheClaimantrequestedpaymentwithin15days. 11.On27January2023,accordingtotheclub,theplayercollectedthesalaryrelatedtoDecember2022. 12.On28January2023,accordingtotheclub,theplayersentadraftofamodifiedannextothecontracttotheclub. 13.On10February2023,theplayerterminatedthecontractwiththeclubduetotheoutstandingremunerationandduetohisdemotiontothereserveteamwithoutjustification. 14.On10February2023,theclubrepliedtotheplayerstating:“Weareattachinganofficialnoterelatedtothe08/22salary.Theamountofthesalaryfor11/22isreadyintheofficialpremisesoftheClubandtheaforementionedcancollectitwheneverhewants.ItwasnotpaidbecauseatthatmomenttheplayerwasbythepreparationprocessinTurkey.Thesalaryfor01/23willbepaidduringthismonth,followingthenormaldynamicsofsalarypaymentsintheClub”. 15.On6July2023,theplayersignedanemploymentcontractwiththeUzbekclub,BuxoroFKvalidasfrom6July2023until21December2023,includingamonthlysalaryofUSD8,000(approx.BAM14,000). II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 16.On13April2023,theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 17.theplayerlodgedaclaimagainsttheFKVelezMostarinfrontofFIFAandrequestedpaymentofthefollowingmonies: -BAM14,475asoutstandingremuneration(partialsalariesforAugust,November2022andJanuary2023;3xBAM4,825); -BAM5,850asoutstandingsigning-bonus; -BAM132,600andEUR3,000ascompensationforbreachofcontract(residualvalue).Theplayerrequestedinterestof5%p.a.asoftheduedates. 18.Inhisclaim,theplayerarguedthathehadjustcausetoterminatethecontractasmorethantwomonthlysalariesremainedoutstandingwithoutjustification. 19.Moreover,theplayerheldthatasof10January2023,hehadbeenforcedtotrainalone,withoutacoachora“tailoredtrainingprogram”. b.PositionoftheRespondent/Counterclaim 20.Initsreply,theclubrejectedtheplayer’sclaimandlodgedacounterclaimagainsttheplayerrequestingpaymentofBAM17,211ascompensationforbreachofcontract,plus5%interestp.a.asof10February2023. 21.Theclubdeniedthatatleasttwomonthlysalarieswereoutstandingatthemomentofthetermination. 22.Inthisregard,theclubpointedoutthatthedefaultnoticereferredtothesalaryofDecember2022,wherebytheterminationnoticelistedJanuary2023asoutstanding,whichonlyfelldueon10February2023andwasthereforenotyet“overdue”. 23.AstothesalaryforAugust2022,theclubpointedoutthatthereductionof30%wasimposed,whichshallbededucted.Further,theclubmaintainedthatthisamount(BAM2,493.50)wasavailabletohimbuthe“refusedtopickitup”. 24.Additionally,theclubheldthattheplayerisonlyentitledtohalfofthesign-onfeeclaimedastheotherhalfwasremittedon22July2022. 25.Takingintoaccounttheabove,theclubacknowledgedadebtintheamountofBAM10,325,whichislessthantwomonthlysalariesandthereforenojustcausetoterminatethecontract. 26.Subsequently,theclubdeniedthattheplayerwasdemotedtoareserveteamstatingthattheclubdoesnothaveareserveteam.Furthermore,theclubpointedoutthatthepla