Cameroonian footballer appealed FIFA decision to deny access to information about case
Morgan Sports Law has successfully represented Cameroonian footballer Christian Pouga in a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal against a FIFA decision to deny him information about the grounds for a disciplinary committee decision.
In May 2021, Pouga sought to enforce a decision rendered by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber by which he was granted compensation for breach of contract, against the sporting successor of the club with which he had an employment contract.
Pouga asked FIFA to initiate disciplinary action against the club in question.
In August 2021, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee notified the operative part of its decision to the club, dismissing all charges against it.
The following day, Pouga requested the grounds of the disciplinary committee decision. That request was denied by FIFA, which argued that the player was not a party to the disciplinary proceedings.
Pouga appealed the refusal at the CAS which, on 7 June 2022, upheld his appeal and ordered FIFA to provide him with the grounds of the committee decision.
In doing so, the CAS held that a creditor has the right, even if they are not a party to the disciplinary proceedings, to obtain the grounds of a disciplinary decision they initiated.
The CAS considered that a creditor should be able to assess his possible future steps towards recovering his debt by being provided with the reasons why his request for disciplinary action against a club was denied.
Pouga was represented in by Morgan Sports Law partner William Sternheimer (pictured, left), and associate Imen Larabi (pictured, right).