Han Kun Wins FIFA Decision for a CSL Football Club
January, 2024 - Beijing, Mainland China
Recently, the Han Kan sports law team won an overall victory in an arbitral proceeding before the Fédération Internationale de Football Association ("FIFA") Football Tribunal for a football club in the Chinese Football Association Super League (the "CSL Club") against a renowned Spanish La Liga club (the "La Liga Club").
The dispute concerned an agreement to transfer a football player from the CSL Club to the La Liga Club. Making a variety of excuses, the La Liga refused to pay the multimillion-euro transfer fee to the CSL Club as per the agreed terms. Upon being entrusted by the CSL Club, the Han Kun sports lawyers strategized the arbitration case for the client based on substantial legal research and solid analysis over various legal issues, including debt set-off, transfer fee payment terms and process, solidarity contributions, etc., and submitted a statement of claim to the Players' Status Chamber (the "PSC") under the FIFA Football Tribunal.
During the proceedings, the La Liga Club submitted its defense and exhibits in Spanish, which is one of the four official languages recognized by FIFA. The Han Kun sports law team promptly responded to each argument made by the opposing party. Finally, the PSC entered a decision demanding the La Liga Club to make full payment of the transfer fee claimed by the CSL Club, plus interest, and decided that FIFA will reimburse the CSL Club the advance costs paid at the start of the proceedings.
With the assistance of the Han Kun sports law team, it only took three months for the CSL Club to be awarded the final favorable decision after it chose to take legal action against the La Liga Club.
