Cardiff fury over Sala's €6m appeal loss to CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
August 30 - The unsavory dispute over responsibility for Emiliano Sala's €17million transfer fee from Nantes to Cardiff City appears to have finally reached its conclusion after Cardiff lost their appeal against a decision by the FIFA to pay the first installment of €6 million to the French club.
The Argentine forward was tragically killed along with the pilot in January 2019, when the light plane carrying him to Cardiff two days after signing crashed into the sea before he could play a single game.
A few hours earlier, it is reported that FIFA received an online document from the Wales Football Association to finalize the transfer of the player's registration from France.
Cardiff argued that they were not liable for any of the costs as Sala was not officially their player when he died, as his registration for the game was not complete and therefore the transfer was null and void. The case ended up before FIFA's Players' Status Committee who sided with Nantes, ruling that Cardiff risked a three-window transfer ban if they failed to comply.
The Premier League club, then in the Premier League, appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which rejected it on Friday and ruled that Cardiff should now pay Nantes €6 million.
"After having duly considered all the evidence produced and all the arguments put forward by the two clubs, the CAS panel has concluded that the transfer of the player from FC Nantes to Cardiff City FC has been completed", said the CAS .
"And because the conditions set out in the transfer agreement were met before the player's death, FC Nantes' request for the first payment of the transfer fee in the amount of 6 million euros has been selected."
The CAS added that the procedure only concerns the first tranche of the transfer fee of 17 million euros.
Despite the ruling, a 'disappointed' Cardiff angrily refused to accept the verdict, saying he would not hand over any money at this time and, if forced to, would seek to further legal action to recover losses.
"The award does not settle the crucial question of the responsibility of FC Nantes (and its agents) in the accident, which will therefore have to be decided in another instance", reads a press release,
"Once the club's lawyers have digested the reasons for the decision, we plan to appeal and we will not make any payments to FC Nantes in the meantime.
"If these appeals are unsuccessful and the club are required to pay the transfer fee, the club will take legal action against those responsible for the accident for damages to recoup its losses. This will include the FC Nantes and its agents.
"All our thoughts must continue to go out to Emiliano's family, who are now financially supported by the trust the club has placed in them."
Nantes issued their own counter statement welcoming the CAS verdict, saying they were fully justified by Cardiff's behavior and denouncing what they called a "public disinformation campaign".
"The CAS has totally rejected the appeal lodged by Cardiff City and has confirmed the decision made by FIFA on September 25, 2019 regarding the transfer of player Emiliano Sala," said Nantes.
"The court therefore ruled, as FC Nantes [FCN] had argued from the start of the proceedings, that the player's transfer to Cardiff City was complete when he tragically died in an aviation accident.< /p>
"As a result, the CAS ordered Cardiff City to pay the transfer fee to FC Nantes and condemned Cardiff to a historically high sum, in respect of procedural costs and arbitration costs.
>"FC Nantes is delighted that this procedure - initiated by Cardiff City then delayed on numerous occasions by Cardiff City - which has been difficult for all those close to Emiliano, is finally over.
"The club hopes this will mark the end of the public misinformation campaign, which the FCN has never responded to, out of respect for the player's family."
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1661859135labto1661859135ofdlr1661859135owedi1661859135sni@w1661859135ahsra1661859135w.wer1661859135dna1661859135
By Andrew Warshaw
August 30 - The unsavory dispute over responsibility for Emiliano Sala's €17million transfer fee from Nantes to Cardiff City appears to have finally reached its conclusion after Cardiff lost their appeal against a decision by the FIFA to pay the first installment of €6 million to the French club.
The Argentine forward was tragically killed along with the pilot in January 2019, when the light plane carrying him to Cardiff two days after signing crashed into the sea before he could play a single game.
A few hours earlier, it is reported that FIFA received an online document from the Wales Football Association to finalize the transfer of the player's registration from France.
Cardiff argued that they were not liable for any of the costs as Sala was not officially their player when he died, as his registration for the game was not complete and therefore the transfer was null and void. The case ended up before FIFA's Players' Status Committee who sided with Nantes, ruling that Cardiff risked a three-window transfer ban if they failed to comply.
The Premier League club, then in the Premier League, appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which rejected it on Friday and ruled that Cardiff should now pay Nantes €6 million.
"After having duly considered all the evidence produced and all the arguments put forward by the two clubs, the CAS panel has concluded that the transfer of the player from FC Nantes to Cardiff City FC has been completed", said the CAS .
"And because the conditions set out in the transfer agreement were met before the player's death, FC Nantes' request for the first payment of the transfer fee in the amount of 6 million euros has been selected."
The CAS added that the procedure only concerns the first tranche of the transfer fee of 17 million euros.
Despite the ruling, a 'disappointed' Cardiff angrily refused to accept the verdict, saying he would not hand over any money at this time and, if forced to, would seek to further legal action to recover losses.
"The award does not settle the crucial question of the responsibility of FC Nantes (and its agents) in the accident, which will therefore have to be decided in another instance", reads a press release,
"Once the club's lawyers have digested the reasons for the decision, we plan to appeal and we will not make any payments to FC Nantes in the meantime.
"If these appeals are unsuccessful and the club are required to pay the transfer fee, the club will take legal action against those responsible for the accident for damages to recoup its losses. This will include the FC Nantes and its agents.
"All our thoughts must continue to go out to Emiliano's family, who are now financially supported by the trust the club has placed in them."
Nantes issued their own counter statement welcoming the CAS verdict, saying they were fully justified by Cardiff's behavior and denouncing what they called a "public disinformation campaign".
"The CAS has totally rejected the appeal lodged by Cardiff City and has confirmed the decision made by FIFA on September 25, 2019 regarding the transfer of player Emiliano Sala," said Nantes.
"The court therefore ruled, as FC Nantes [FCN] had argued from the start of the proceedings, that the player's transfer to Cardiff City was complete when he tragically died in an aviation accident.< /p>
"As a result, the CAS ordered Cardiff City to pay the transfer fee to FC Nantes and condemned Cardiff to a historically high sum, in respect of procedural costs and arbitration costs.
>"FC Nantes is delighted that this procedure - initiated by Cardiff City then delayed on numerous occasions by Cardiff City - which has been difficult for all those close to Emiliano, is finally over.
"The club hopes this will mark the end of the public misinformation campaign, which the FCN has never responded to, out of respect for the player's family."
Contact the author of this story at moc.l1661859135labto1661859135ofdlr1661859135owedi1661859135sni@w1661859135ahsra1661859135w.wer1661859135dna1661859135
What's Your Reaction?
