Labour Disputes
Texto da decisão
REF. FPSD-22486
Decision of the
Dispute Resolution Chamber
passed on 17 March 2026
regarding an employment-related dispute concerning the player Anastasios
Chatzigiovannis
BY:
Khalid AWAD ALTHEBITY (Saudi Arabia)
CLAIMANT:
Anastasios Chatzigiovannis, Greece
Represented by Chrissa Sevastopoulou
RESPONDENT:
Ikas Eyupspor, Türkiye
Represented by Ercan Sevdimbaş
pg. 2
REF. FPSD-22486
I. Facts of the case
1.
On 30 June 2025, the Greek player, Anastasios Chatzigiovannis (hereinafter: the Player or
the Claimant) and the Turkish club, Ikas Eyupspor (hereinafter: the Club or the Respondent)
signed a termination agreement (hereinafter: the Termination Agreement) and agreed as
follows:
“1.2 The parties have agreed that the Player has due receivable in total of 63.100-EUR NET
from the Club, regarding the salary from the Professional Football Player Contract with the
starting date of 01.08.2024 and ending date of 30.06.2026, Loan Agreement and Protocol.
This Mutual Termination / Termination Protocol is issued at the request of the Player due to
the fact that the Player does not want to provide services to the Club. The Player accepts,
declares and undertakes that with the payment of 63.100-Euro NET to him by the Club, The
Player has no rights and receivables arising and to arise from the Club. The payment schedule
is as follows:
- 63.100-EUR NET will pay on 30.11.2025
1.3 With the exception of the Club’s obligation to pay to the Player, or on behalf of the Player
directly to the Turkish tax and other authorities, any and all amounts of income tax and other
taxes and social security contributions and any other burden that is or might be payable in
the future by, or has been or might be imposed in the future on, the Player with respect to the
income he received or will receive from the Contract and from the present Agreement. In this
context, The Player accepts and undertakes to release the Club irrevocably for all the
obligations set in the Contract and also the other agreements, arrangements and
understandings made by and between the parties regarding the same period and for any
other claims / compensation related to employment contract(s) and their annexes.”
2.
On 10 December 2025, the Player sent to the Club a default notice requesting the payment
of EUR 63,100 within 10 days.
pg. 3
REF. FPSD-22486
II. Proceedings before FIFA
3.
On 30 December 2025, the Claimant filed the claim at hand before FIFA. A summary of the
parties’ respective positions is detailed below.
a. Claim of the Claimant
4.
The Player lodged a claim with FIFA for overdue payables arising from the Termination
Agreement.
5.
The Player argued that the Club did not comply with its financial obligations towards him
and the total amount agreed upon in the Termination Agreement remained outstanding.
6.
In view of the above, the Player requested the following relief:
“In view of the above, the Claimant respectfully requests the FIFA Football Tribunal:
1. to rule that the Respondent has breached the Termination and Settlement Agreement of
30 June 2025;
2. to rule that the Respondent shall pay the Claimant the net amount of 63,100 euros net
with interest of 5% p.a. calculated as of the date when the above amount became due, i.e.
from 30.11.2025 or otherwise as of the date of claim and until the date of effective
payment;
3. to rule that in the event that the Respondent fails to pay the awarded amounts within 45
days, a ban from registering any new players either nationally or internationally shall be
imposed on the Respondent which shall be lifted only upon full payment of the awarded
amounts.”
b. Reply of the Respondent
7.
In its reply, the Respondent argued that it has complied with its financial obligations and
made reference to proof of payments apparently enclosed in their response.
8.
However, the Respondent’s reply did not contain any annexes.
pg. 4
REF. FPSD-22486
III. Considerations of the Dispute Resolution Chamber
a. Competence and applicable legal framework
9.
First of all, the Single Judge of the Dispute Resolution Chamber (hereinafter: the Single Judge)
analysed whether he was competent to deal with the case at hand. In this respect, he took
note that the present matter was presented to FIFA on 30 December 2025 and submitted
for decision on 17 March 2026. Taking into account the wording of arts. 32 and 35 of the
January 2026 edition of the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal (hereinafter:
the Procedural Rules), the aforementioned edition of the Procedural Rules is applicable to
the matter at hand.
10. Furthermore, the Single Judge referred to art. 2 par. 1 of the Procedural Rules and observed
that in accordance with art. 23 par. 1 in combination with art. 22 par. 1 lit. b) of the
Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (hereinafter: the Regulations) (July 2025
edition), the Dispute Resolution Chamber is competent to deal with the matter at stake,
which concerns an employment-related dispute with an international dimension between
a Greek player and a Turkish club.
11. Subsequently, the Single Judge analysed which regulations should be applicable as to the
substance of the matter. In this respect, he confirmed that, in accordance with art. 29 of
the Regulations, the July 2025 edition of the Regulations is applicable to the matter at hand
as to the substance.
b. Burden of proof
12. The Single Judge recalled the basic principle of burden of proof, as stipulated in art. 13
par. 5 of the Procedural Rules, according to which a party claiming a right on the basis of
an alleged fact shall carry the respective burden of proof. Likewise, the Single Judge
stressed the wording of art. 13 par. 4 of the Procedural Rules, pursuant to which he may
consider evidence not filed by the parties, including without limitation the evidence
generated by or within the Transfer Matching System (TMS).
c. Merits of the dispute
13. Having established the competence and the applicable regulations, the Single Judge
entered into the merits of the dispute. In this respect, the Single Judge started by
acknowledging all the above-mentioned facts as well as the arguments and the
documentation on file. However, the Single Judge emphasised that in the following
considerations he will refer only to the facts, arguments and documentary evidence, which
he considered pertinent for assessing the matter at hand.
pg. 5
REF. FPSD-22486
i. Main legal discussion and considerations
14. The Single Judge then moved to the substance of the matter and took note of the fact that
the parties strongly dispute the amount allegedly outstanding under their employment
relationship.
15. In this respect, the Single Judge noted that the Player argued that the net amount of EUR
63,100 arising from the Termination Agreement remained outstanding.
16. Conversely, while the Club contested the existence of any outstanding amounts, the Single
Judge found that it had failed to discharge its burden of proof, as it did not provide any
documentary evidence (such as proof of payment or other supporting documentation)
demonstrating that it had fulfilled its financial obligations towards the Player.
17. Consequently, the Single Judge concluded that the amount of EUR 63,100 net remained
outstanding. In accordance with the principle of pacta sunt servanda, the Single Judge
therefore decided to award the Player the sum of EUR 63,100 net.
18. Finally, taking into consideration the Claimant’s request as well as the constant practice of
the Football Tribunal in this regard, the Single Judge decided to award the Claimant interest
at the rate of 5% p.a. on the outstanding amounts as from 1 December 2025 until the date
of effective payment.
ii. Art. 12bis of the Regulations
19. The Single Judge then referred to art.12bis par. 2 of the Regulations, which stipulates that
any club found to have delayed a due payment for more than 30 days without a prima facie
contractual basis may be sanctioned, in accordance with art. 12bis par. 4 of the Regulations.
20. To this end, the Single Judge confirmed that the Claimant put the Respondent in default of
payment of the amounts sought, which had fallen due for more than 30 days, and granted
the Respondent with at least 10 days to cure such breach of contract.
21. Accordingly, the Single Judge also confirmed that the Respondent had delayed a due
payment without a prima facie contractual basis. It followed that the criteria enshrined in
art. 12bis of the Regulations were met in the case at hand.
22. The Single Judge further established that, by virtue of art. 12bis par. 4 of the Regulations
the Single Judge has competence to impose sanctions on the club. On account of the above,
and bearing in mind that this is the fourth offense by the Respondent within the last two
years, the Single Judge decided to impose a fine of USD 11,500 on the Respondent in
accordance with art. 12bis par. 4 lit. c) of the Regulations.
pg. 6
REF. FPSD-22486
23. The Single Judge also highlighted that a repeated offence will be considered as an
aggravating circumstance and lead to more severe penalty, in accordance with art. 12bis
par. 6 of the Regulations.
iii. Compliance with monetary decisions
24. Finally, taking into account the applicable Regulations, the Single Judge referred to art. 24
par. 1 and 2 of the Regulations, which stipulate that, with its decision, the pertinent FIFA
deciding body shall also rule on the consequences deriving from the failure of the
concerned party to pay the relevant amounts of outstanding remuneration and/or
compensation in due time.
25. In this regard, the Single Judge highlighted that, against clubs, the consequence of the
failure to pay the relevant amounts in due time shall consist of a ban from registering any
new players, either nationally or internationally, up until the due amounts are paid. The
overall maximum duration of the registration ban shall be of up to three entire and
consecutive registration periods.
26. Therefore, bearing in mind the above, the Single Judge decided that the Respondent must
pay the full amount due (including all applicable interest) to the Claimant within 45 days of
notification of the decision, failing which, at the request of the Claimant, a ban from
registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the maximum duration
of three entire and consecutive registration periods shall become immediately effective on
the Respondent in accordance with art. 24 par. 2, 4, and 7 of the Regulations.
27. The Respondent shall make full payment (including all applicable interest) to the bank
account provided by the Claimant in the Bank Account Registration Form, which is attached
to the present decision.
28. The Single Judge recalled that the above-mentioned ban will be lifted immediately and prior
to its complete serving upon payment of the due amounts, in accordance with art. 24 par.
8 of the Regulations.
d. Costs
29. The Single Judge referred to art. 25 par. 1 of the Procedural Rules, according to which
“Procedures are free of charge where at least one of the parties is a player, coach, football agent,
or match agent”. Accordingly, the Single Judge decided that no procedural costs were to be
imposed on the parties.
30. Likewise, and for the sake of completeness, the Single Judge recalled the contents of art.
25 par. 8 of the Procedural Rules and decided that no procedural compensation shall be
awarded in these proceedings.
pg. 7
REF. FPSD-22486
31. Lastly, the Single Judge concluded his deliberations by rejecting any other requests for
relief made by any of the parties.
pg. 8
REF. FPSD-22486
IV. Decision of the Dispute Resolution Chamber
1.
The claim of the Claimant, Anastasios Chatzigiovannis, is partially accepted.
2.
The Respondent, IKAS EYUPSPOR, must pay the Claimant the following amount:
- EUR 63,100 net as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest p.a. as from 1 December
2025 until the date of effective payment.
3.
Any further claims of the Claimant are rejected.
4.
A fine in the amount of USD 11,500 is imposed on the Respondent, which must be paid
to FIFA within 30 days of notification of this decision. Such fine must be paid to the
following bank account with a clear reference to the case FPSD-22486:
UBS Zurich
Account number 230-366677.61N (FIFA Players’ Status)
Clearing number 230
IBAN: CH12 0023 0230 3666 7761 N
SWIFT: UBSWCHZH80A
5.
Full payment (including all applicable interest) shall be made to the bank account indicated
in the enclosed Bank Account Registration Form.
6.
Pursuant to art. 24 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, if full payment
(including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision,
the following consequences shall apply:
1. The Respondent shall be banned from registering any new players, either nationally or
internationally, up until the due amount is paid. The maximum duration of the ban shall
be of up to three entire and consecutive registration periods.
2. The present matter shall be submitted, upon request, to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee
in the event that full payment (including all applicable interest) is still not made by the
end of the three entire and consecutive registration periods.
7.
The consequences shall only be enforced at the request of the Claimant in accordance
with art. 24 par. 7 and 8 and art. 25 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
pg. 9
REF. FPSD-22486
8.
This decision is rendered without costs.
For the Football Tribunal:
Emilio García Silvero
Chief Legal & Compliance Officer
pg. 10
REF. FPSD-22486
NOTE RELATED TO THE APPEAL PROCEDURE:
According to art. 50 par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes, this decision may be appealed against before
the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the notification of this
decision.
NOTE RELATED TO THE PUBLICATION:
FIFA may publish this decision. For reasons of confidentiality, FIFA may decide, at the request
of a party within five days of the notification of the motivated decision, to publish an
anonymised or a redacted version (cf., art. 17 of the Procedural Rules Governing the Football
Tribunal).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Legal & Compliance Division
396 Alhambra Circle, 6th floor, Coral Gables, Miami, Florida, USA 33134
legal.fifa.com | [email protected] | T: +41 (0)43 222 7777
pg. 11