Court Confirms FIFA Decision, Dismisses Appeal Of Romanian Player Adrian Mutu

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today dismissed the appeal filed by the Romanian football player, Adrian Mutu, against the decision rendered by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) on 7 May 2008 in which he was ordered to pay EUR17,173,990 in compensation to his former club, Chelsea FC, for breach of contract," the court said in a statement.

It is the third decision rendered by the CAS in this matter.

"In 2005, the CAS confirmed the decision of the Football Association Premier League Appeals Committee finding that, because of a positive doping test, Mutu had committed a breach of the employment contract without just cause. In 2007, the CAS set aside a first decision by the DRC denying jurisdiction and referred the matter back to FIFA to determine and impose the appropriate sporting sanction and/or order for compensation arising out of the dispute. Then, the DRC issued its decision on compensation which generated this third CAS arbitration," the statement said.

The CAS Panel concluded that the appeal brought by the player was to be dismissed and the measure of damages, as awarded by the DRC, was to be confirmed. Adrian Mutu must therefore pay EUR17,173,990 to Chelsea FC.

Chelsea brought Adrian Mutu from AC Parma in the summer of 2003 in exchange for GBP15.8 million and terminated his contract in October 2004, after Mutu failed a drugs test.

Mutu was suspended for seven months over drugs use by the English Football Association (FA).

Chelsea claims Adrian Mutu’s demeanor caused a GBP13 million damage to the football club.