Soccer fraternity is known for its fighting spirit where each of the notable clubs tries to defend every single dollar it is asked to pay to someone. This is something being happened with two Italian clubs Juventus and Livorno who signed disputed player Adrian Mutu back in 2005 after he failed to pass a drug test in England. Chelsea, the original signee of the forward, filed a claim and demanded compensation from Italian clubs who later signed Mutu, and finally rewarded a reimbursement with interest. But, both clubs moved to FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber and asked to waive off the sanction issued against them. FIFA has now ruled out their appeal and sustained the earlier judgment, which means, they will have to now €17.7million plus interest in compensation. However, this is not the final judgment as both clubs have decided to move to Court of Arbitration to seek a relief.
Mutu, the controversial striker who now plays for Ajaccio in French Ligue 1, moved to The Blues from Parma back in August 2003, but just twenty months after, he was tested positive for cocaine during a drug test and had to leave the club. Since, his later clubs hired him free of cost; Chelsea filed a claim to seeking compensation since they had paid £15.8m for him.
Stating its judgment, FIFA said, “According to the decision of the DRC, the clubs, Juventus and Livorno, are held jointly responsible, together with the player, Adrian Mutu, for payment of the amount of compensation that the player has been ordered to pay to the club, Chelsea. The concerned parties were notified of the relevant decision on 7 October 2013. In accordance with art. 67 par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes, this decision may be appealed against before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”
The judgment could be a landmark verdict for several similar pending cases where players are debarred to play for their clubs and later shifted to another places without paying any fee to their former sides. Anyhow, since both Italian sides will now defend in an arbitration court, there could be a further clarification to interpret the final definition of FIFA rules assisting future cases. Newly promoted Serie A side Livorno’s President Aldo Spinelli said, “we have very little to do with this.” Mutu is still in Europe playing for French club Ajaccio after spending seven years in Italy. Let’s see how this case develops in coming months.