Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon12October2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerErickFloresBonfim COMPOSITION: CliffordJ.HENDEL(USA&France),DeputyChairpersonAlejandroATILIOTARABORELLI(Argentina),memberMicheleCOLUCCI(Italy),member CLAIMANT: ErickFloresBonfim,Brazil RepresentedbyWallaceJoacirAlvesdeOliveira RESPONDENT: FlamurtariFC,Albania I.Factsofthecase 1.Thepartiestothedisputeare: -TheBrazilianplayer,ErickFloresBonfim(hereinafter:theClaimantortheplayer);and -TheAlbanianclub,FlamurtariFC(hereinafter:theRespondentortheclub). 2.On18August2022,theRespondentsentan“officialoffer”fortheemploymentoftheplayer(hereinafter:theoffer)validforthe2022/2023season. 3.Inaccordancewiththeoffer,theplayerwouldbeentitledtothefollowingamounts: -AmonthlynetsalaryofEUR2,500. -AsignaturebonusofEUR25,000. 4.Inaccordancewiththeoffer,theplayerwouldbeentitledtoaccommodationandfood. 5.Theofferalsocontainedahandwrittencounterproposaloftheplayerwithregardstothesignaturebonus,accordingtowhichtheplayerproposedEUR30,000forthementionedbonus. 6.Asperthedocumenttitled“pre-contract”anddated23August2022,theClaimantwouldbeentitledtoamonthlynetsalaryofEUR2,000,asigningbonusofEUR30,000andaccommodationandfood.Thespecimenofthepre-contractonfilecontainedthesignatureoftheplayer.However,itdidnotcontaintheclub’ssignature. 7.InaccordancewiththeinformationretrievedfromtheTransferMatchingSystem(TMS),on25August2022,theClaimantandtheRespondentconcludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:thecontract)validforthe2022/2023season.TheClaimantalsoprovidedacopyofthisdocument,whichwasnotdated;however,hementionedinitsclaimthatitwassignedon25August2022. 8.Accordingtoclause3ofthecontract,theRespondentundertooktopaytheClaimantamonthlynetsalaryofEUR2,000andprovideaccommodationandfoodforthedurationofthecontract. 9.BetweenAugust2022andDecember2022,theplayerandtheclub’smanager(hereinafter: theManager),held,interalia,viatheapplicationWhatsApp,thefollowingdiscussions: -On22August2022(quotedverbatim): “[…] [22/08/202213:52:25][theManager]:Onlyforthemomenttheteamstaytogethertill20ofSeptember [22/08/202213:52:57][theManager]:Wedoyourticketnowandforyourfamilyafter20whenyouhaveyourhouse [22/08/202213:52:59][theManager]:It'sok [22/08/202213:55:30][theplayer]:theproblemismyfamilytravelingalone,ihave3smallchildren [22/08/202213:55:46][theManager]:3[22/08/202213:55:50][theManager]:Verygood[22/08/202213:56:03][theManager]:Iunderstand [22/08/202213:56:16][theManager]:Butwehave2problems[22/08/202213:56:20][theManager]:First [22/08/202213:56:40][theManager]:Vlora(Flamurtaricity) [22/08/202213:57:08][theManager]:It'ssumercityandallthegoodhousesarebusy [22/08/202213:57:26][theManager]:Second [22/08/202213:58:08][theManager]:Ifyouflynowyourtravelwiththechildmaybegolitlelonger [22/08/202213:59:14][theManager]:Becauseit'sverybutverydifficultwithonestopway [22/08/202213:59:51][theManager]:Youneadtogowithyourchildmoretime [22/08/202214:00:40][theManager]:Ifthaycomeafter20Septemberyouhavethehousereadyandthetravelofyourfamilyshotbemoreshort [22/08/202214:00:54][theManager]:Onlywithonestop[22/08/202214:01:03][theManager]:RomeorFrancfurt [22/08/202214:01:21][theManager]:Wecanmaketicketsofthemfromnow[22/08/202214:01:33][theManager]:AndyouareShureforthem[22/08/202214:01:58][theManager]:Itsseasonmyfriend[…]” -On25August2022(quotedverbatim): “[…] [25/08/202213:13:54][theplayer]:[adocumentwasshared] [25/08/202213:16:47][theplayer]:thisdocumenthasnotbeenfilledin,tomorrowIwillhavetogobacktothefederalpoliceforanewpassport,Iwasinformedthismorning! [25/08/202213:19:40][theplayer]:theemergencypassporthasbeencancelled,thatis,Iwillhavetodothenormalonethatlasts7days!Ireallywanttogo,butitstopsme!IalreadysignedthecontractandIwanttosignthecontract,theonlythingIaskedforwastimeandnotmoney! [25/08/202213:20:13][theManager]:Okk [25/08/202213:21:17][theManager]:Isendyouonecontracttodaywithsmallmoneytopresentinfederation(Butthatisonlyforregistration) [25/08/202213:21:38][theManager]:Ouercontractit'sthatwhatyousign[25/08/202213:21:49][theManager]:Good [25/08/202213:21:56][theManager]:Isendyoutoday [25/08/202213:22:24][theManager]:Whenyoucomeandtake30.000neadtogivemeback [25/08/202213:23:13][theplayer]:possoconfiarem30?[25/08/202213:23:30][theplayer]:canitrust30? [25/08/202213:23:48][theManager]:Myfriend [25/08/202213:24:34][theManager]:Weneadyou.Wedon'tresolvesituationtoluyyou [25/08/202213:24:56][theManager]:Becauseweknow.Ifyoudon'ttakethat,youdon'tplay [25/08/202213:25:00][theManager]:And [25/08/202213:25:10][theManager]:Whatwewin,nothing [25/08/202213:26:34][theManager]:Ifyouhavedthepassport,wedon'tneadtomakethatconversation [25/08/202213:26:44][theManager]:Plus,youhavetheagreement[25/08/202213:26:52][theManager]:Inyouremail [25/08/202213:26:59][theManager]:Emailit'sofficial [25/08/202213:29:37][theManager]:[thepre-contractwasattached] [25/08/202213:30:05][theManager]:Youhavetosigne2contract. [25/08/202213:30:40][theManager]:Oneforfederationtodeposituntil30august [25/08/