Toril Domingo

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon12October2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerAlbertoTorilDomingo BY: CliffordJ.Hendel(USA/France),DeputyChairpersonAlejandroAtilioTaraborrelli(Argentina),MemberMicheleColucci(Italy),Member CLAIMANT: AlbertoTorilDomingo,Spain RepresentedbyKirillShmarov RESPONDENT: 1207GKSPiastGliwiceS.A.,Poland I.Factsofthecase 1.On2June2021,theSpanishplayerTorilDomingoAlberto(hereinaftertheClaimantorthePlayer)andthePolishclub1207GKSPiastGliwiceS.A.(hereinaftertheRespondentortheClub)concludedemploymentagreement(hereinaftertheEmploymentAgreement),validuntil30June2024. 2.InaccordancewithClauseVoftheEmploymentAgreement,theClaimantandtheRespondent(jointlyreferredtoastheParties)agreedupon,interalia,thefollowingfinancialbenefits: Season2021/2022: “Intheperiodfrom01.07.2023to30.06.2024,onaccountoftheprovidedservice,thePlayerisentitledtomonthlybasicremunerationintheamountof53.000,00PLNgross(inwords:sixtythreethousandszloty)includingVATtaxdue.” Season2022/2023: “Intheperiodfrom01.07.2023to30.06.2024,onaccountoftheprovidedservice,thePlayerisentitledtomonthlybasicremunerationintheamountof58.000,00PLNgross(inwords:sixtythreethousandszloty)includingVATtaxdue.” Season2023/2024: “Intheperiodfrom01.07.2023to30.06.2024,onaccountoftheprovidedservice,thePlayerisentitledtomonthlybasicremunerationintheamountof63.000,00PLNgross(inwords:sixtythreethousandszloty)includingVATtaxdue.” 3.InaccordancewithClauseXIVoftheEmploymentAgreement,thePartiesagreeduponthefollowingjurisdictionclause: “IfanactionisbroughtbyaPlayer,heisentitledtochoosethePZPNArbitrationCourtortheFIFADisciplinarybodies.” 4.Inaccordancewiththeemploymentcontract,theRespondentundertooktopaytotheClaimantOn23January2023,theRespondentsentthefollowingnoticetotheAgentoftheClaimant: “WeasafootballclubGliwickiKlubSportowy„PIAST”S.A.seatedinGliwice,ul.Okrzei20areinterestedintheloanofourplayerAlbertoToril(01.06.1997)untiltheendofthe2022/2023season. AttheendoftheperiodofloanatRealMurciauntil30.6.2023,alongwiththefollowingholidayperiod,AlbertoTorilwillreturntotrainingsolelywiththefirstteamofGliwickiKlubSportowy“PIAST”S.Awithouttheoptionofpermanentlymovingtheplayertothesecondteam. Incaseofsuccessfulmedicaltestsatthenewclub,weundertaketopaythecommission.” 5.On12June2023,theRespondentsentthefollowingnoticetotheClaimant: “WeasafootballclubGliwickiKlubSportowy„PIAST”S.A.seatedinGliwice,ul.Okrzei20informthatAlbertoToril(01.06.1997)hasbeengivenafreereintolookforaclub.Theclubisalsoconsideringthepossibilityofafreetransferorterminationofthecontract. Theplayerisnotrequiredtoattendateamtrainingsessionsduetohisloantoanotherclub,whichisvaliduntil30.06.2023. Afterdiscussion,itwasagreedwiththefirstcoachthattheplayercannotexpecttoplayandtrainwiththefirstteam.” 6.On19and21June,theRespondentsentnoticestotheClaimant(andtwoofhisteammates),thattheyaretemporarilytransferredtothesecondteam. 7.On21,27,30Juneand6July2023,theClaimantrequestedtobereinstatedwiththefirstteam,specificallyaskingtobeinformedabouthowhecanfulfillhisobligationsunderthecontract. 8.On26June2023,theRespondentsentthefollowinglettertotheClaimant: “GliwickiKlubSportowy‘Piast’SAwouldtoinformyourAgencythatafteryourloanperiodinRealMurcia(till30.06.2023)youhavefreetime(withouttrainingswithourClub)till16.07.2023.OurClubgiveYouapermissiontofindanotherClubtonextseason.OtherwiseifyouwouldtostillbeapartofPiastGliwiceyourtrainingwithsecondsenior’sClubteamwillstarthistrainingson.17.07.2023.” 9.On27June2023,theRespondentsentthefollowinglettertotheClaimant: “GliwickiKlubSportowy‘Piast’SAwouldtoinformyourAgencythatinthedaywhenthePlayerAlbertoTorilwillfindnewClubforseason2023/2024orresolvetheContractonmutualagreementwithourClubwewillsettlethearrearsrelatedtothecommissionyouareentitledto.” 10.Until30June2023,theClaimantwasonloanwithRealMuriciaCF. 11.On7July2023,theRespondentsentthefollowinglettertotheClaimant: “(…)FromJuly17,2023,youcanstarttrainingwiththesecondteamoftheClub.YouarenotobligedtoappearattheClubbeforethisdate. Atthesametime,theClubconfirmsthatitisopentoaproposaltoyourtransfertoanotherclubortoterminationbymutualconsentofthepartiesofthecontractforprofessionalfootballofJune7,2021(hereinafterreferredtoastheContract).Ofcourse,ifyouareinterestedinsuchasolution. Regardingyourclaimsthatyourcontractualrightsarebeingviolated,theseclaimsarecompletelyunsubstantiated.Firstofall,theClubhasnointentionofterminatingtheContractwithyouunilaterally.Secondly,theClubindicatedtoyouwhenandunderwhatconditionsyoucantakeupfurthertrainingwiththesecondteamoftheClub.However,theContract doesnotgiveyouanyrightstoplayandtrainonlywiththefirstteamoftheClub.Onthecontrary,inaccordancewithpointIl.2.a)oftheContract,youareobligedtoplayinallteamstowhichClubdelegatesyou.Therefore,itissolelyuptotheClubwhetheritdelegatesyoutoplayinthe1stteamorinthe2ndteamoftheClub. Inconnectionwiththeabove,theClubisoftheopinionthatitdoesnotviolatetheContractinanyway,andyouarealsoobligedtoplayinthesecondteamoftheClub.”