TAS decision: Adrian Mutu will pay 17 million euros to Chelsea

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) in Lausanne did not rule out in favour of Romanian international football player Adrian Mutu, ex-Chelsea, in his case against London football club Chelsea. He will now have to pay the club 17,173,990 euros for breeching the contract.

„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 EUR 17’173’990 in compensation to his former club, Chelsea FC, for breach of contract. It is the third decision rendered by the CAS in this matter”, TAS report shows.

After he was tested positive for cocaine in 2004, Mutu was forced to leave Chelsea. The English Federation suspended the Romanian player for six months. Chelsea representatives claimed this scandal cost the 13 million pounds and demanded that Adrian Mutu pay up 17,173,990 million euros.

On May 7 2008 FIFA decided to have Mutu pay Chelsea the money, but the Romanian football player resorted to TAS to cancel FIFA’s decision. TAS is set to rule out the verdict on Friday, 11:30 (the local time).

Mutu was supported in 2008 by the players’ international association FIFpro, whose representatives declared that FIFA’s decision was „discriminatory and extremely weird”. This is the biggest fine FIFA has ever issued.