Decisionofthe Players’StatusChamber passedon24October2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningthecoachVladimirJanković BY: LouisEverard(theNetherlands) CLAIMANT: MrVladimirJanković RepresentedbyKasaloRaić RESPONDENT: FKRiteriai,Lithuania I.Factsofthecase 1.On29March2023,theSerbiancoachVladimirJankovic(hereinafter:Claimantorcoach)andtheLithuanianclubVSJFKRiteriai(hereinafter:cluborRespondent)concludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:contract)validasfromthedateofsignatureuntil15November2023. 2.InaccordancewiththeContract,theRespondentundertooktopaytotheClaimantinteraliathefollowingamounts: -EUR6,612asmonthlysalary; -EUR1,158asmonthlyrentalallowance; -EUR500asanofficialmatchwinningbonus. 3.On21July2023,theRespondentsenttheClaimantacorrespondencetitled“OrderonimplementationoftheEmploymentContract”,accordingtowhichthelatterwasprohibitedfromattendingtrainingsessionsandcontinuingtocarryouthiscoachingactivityuntil23July2023. 4.On24July2023,theRespondentsentasecondcorrespondencetotheClaimanttitled“OrderonprovidingexplanationregardingallegedviolationofEmploymentduties”,inwhichanexplanationwasrequestedfromtheClaimantregardinganalleged“psychologicalcompulsionandunethicalbehaviourwithotherteammembers”. 5.Onthesameday,inreplytobothabovementionedcorrespondences,theClaimantprovidedaresponse,statingthefollowing: -Theaccusationsof“psychologicalcompulsionandunethicalbehaviour”are unfoundedandcompletelyuncorroborated; -ThefailuretopaytheClaimantoutstandingbonusesandthepreclusionfromconductingtrainingsessionsconstitutedaseverebreachofcontractbytheRespondent; -TheRespondentisformallyputindefaultofpaymentofEUR2,000asoutstandingremuneration,andgrantedadeadlineof15daystoremedytheallegedbreach; -RespondentshouldimmediatelyceasebreachingtheContractandallowtheClaimanttoresumehisactivityasheadcoach. 6.On25July2023,theRespondentunilaterallyterminatedtheContractdueto“seriousviolations”ofhisemploymentduties.TheRespondentspecifiedthatitsplayerscomplainedabouta“negative,psychologicallystressfulanddemotivatingatmosphere”withintheteam,forwhichtheClaimantwasallegedlyresponsible,andwhichconstitutedamaterialbreachofthecontractbytheClaimant,entitlingtheRespondenttoprematurelyterminatetheContractwithjustcause. 7.On26July2023,theRespondentpaidanamountofEUR5,342.58,correspondingtotheClaimant’spro-ratasalaryandrentalallowanceforthemonthofJulyuntilthedateoftermination. 8.On28July2023,theClaimantsentadefaultnoticetotheRespondent,requestingcompensationintheamountofEUR28,698.86plusinterestwithin15days,tonoavail. 9.ThecoachsignedacontractwithMontenegrinclubSutjeskaNiksic(hereinafter:theNewClub)validasfrom10August2023until31May2025(hereinafter:theNewContract). 10.InaccordancewiththeNewContract,theClaimantisentitledtoreceiveEUR450permonthassalary. II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 11.On1September2023,theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 12.Inhisclaim,theClaimantarguedthattheRespondentfabricatedallegationsof “psychologicalcompulsion”and“unethicalbehaviour”,providingnoevidencetothateffect. 13.TheClaimantfurtheroutlinedthattheRespondentonlymadereferencetoasignedletterbytheplayers,ofwhichheneverreceivedacopy,purportingthattheformerwasresponsiblefora“negative,psychologicallystressfulanddemotivatingatmosphere”inthedressingroom,whichwasinanycaseinsufficienttoterminatetheContractwithjustcause. 14.TheClaimantthusarguedthat,astheterminationoftheContractresultedwithoutjustcausebytheRespondent,compensationwasduetotheformer. 15.TheClaimantthereforerequestedcompensationofEUR28,698.86,aswellasinterestonsaidamountfrom26July2023. b.PositionoftheRespondent 16.Despitehavingbeeninvitedtodoso,theRespondentfailedtoprovideapositiontotheclaim. III.ConsiderationsofthePlayers’StatusChamber a.Competenceandapplicablelegalframework 17.Firstofall,theSingleJudgeofthePlayers’StatusChamber(hereinafteralsoreferredtoasSingleJudge)analysedwhetherhewascompetenttodealwiththecaseathand.Inthisrespect,hetooknotethatthepresentmatterwaspresentedtoFIFAon1September2023andsubmittedfordecisionon24October2023.Takingintoaccountthewordingofart.34oftheMarch2023editionoftheProceduralRulesGoverningtheFootballTribunal(hereinafter:theProceduralRules),theaforementionededitionoftheProceduralRulesisapplicabletothematterathand. 18.Subsequently,theSingleJudgereferredtoart.2par.1oftheProceduralRulesandobservedthatinaccordancewithart.23par.2incombinationwithart.22lit.c)oftheRegulationsontheStatusandTransferofPlayers(May2023edition),theSingleJudgeiscompetenttodealwiththematteratstake,whichconcernsanemployment-relateddisputewithaninternationaldimensionbetweenaSerbiancoachandaLithuanianclub. 19.Subsequently,theSingleJudgeanalysedwhichregulationsshouldbeapplicableastothesubstanceofthematter.Inthisrespect,heconfirmedthat,inaccordancewithart.26par.1and2oftheRegulationsontheStatusandTransferofPlayers(May2023edition),andconsideringthatthepresentclaimwaslodgedon1September2023,theMay2023editioneditionofsaidregulations(hereina