Successful player claims against football club

Morgan Sports Law represents players in successful claims against football club.

Miklós Gaál and Iános József Székely joined FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod (“FC Volga”) in 2011. In 2012, the players terminated their contracts and were later awarded outstanding remuneration and compensation (plus interest), by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (“FIFA DRC”).

In 2016, FC Volga was dissolved and replaced by FC Olympiyets, which later changed its name to FC Nizhny Novgorod (“FC Nizhny”).

By 2020, the players still had not received the sums they were owed. The players filed requests for the FIFA Disciplinary Committee (“FIFA DC”) to open disciplinary proceedings against FC Nizhny for failing to pay the sums owing to the players. It was argued that, as the “sporting successor” of FC Volga, FC Nizhny was liable for FC Volga’s debt in this regard.  The FIFA DC agreed and ordered FC Nizhny to pay the amounts due to the players, as well as fines to FIFA.

FC Nizhny appealed the FIFA DC decisions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”). On 10 March 2023, the CAS dismissed the appeals and confirmed the FIFA DC decisions. This means that FC Nizhny must pay the outstanding sums (plus interest) to the players, marking the successful end to a legal battle spanning more than a decade.

The players were represented since 2020 by Partner, William Sternheimer.