The Australian Professional Footballers’ Association scored an historic first win at the world’s peak sporting court after successfully defending the right of Australian and Scottish Premier League striker Daniel McBreen to damages.
After initially securing a significant victory at FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber against his former Romanian club Craiova, McBreen endured an appeal from the club. This week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland dismissed the appeal, upholding FIFA’s original decision.
In 2004, McBreen walked out on the club after its refusal to honour contractual obligations to him. Vindicating the player’s steps, FIFA and the CAS agreed with McBreen’s actions and awarded him full payment of outstanding wages, an amount of compensation and the free transfer he initially sought.
“The win underlines two key things about the relationship our members have with the PFA. Firstly, all Australian footballers can rely on the PFA’s support regardless of where they are in the world,” said PFA Chief Executive Craig Foster.
“Secondly, the PFA is a global organisation with reach throughout the world. A large part of the success of Daniel’s case was the seemless cooperation between the PFA and the Swiss Association of Professional Footballers, who attended the CAS on Daniel’s behalf.”
“From a collective perspective, the win at the CAS is also pleasing because it gives the players a complete set of legal silverware. Players have now enjoyed success at FIFA, at the Supreme Court, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and now at the CAS. It continues to give our members every confidence in the PFA’s capacity to protect and deliver,” PFA lawyer, John Didulica, said.
After initially securing a significant victory at FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber against his former Romanian club Craiova, McBreen endured an appeal from the club. This week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland dismissed the appeal, upholding FIFA’s original decision.
In 2004, McBreen walked out on the club after its refusal to honour contractual obligations to him. Vindicating the player’s steps, FIFA and the CAS agreed with McBreen’s actions and awarded him full payment of outstanding wages, an amount of compensation and the free transfer he initially sought.
“The win underlines two key things about the relationship our members have with the PFA. Firstly, all Australian footballers can rely on the PFA’s support regardless of where they are in the world,” said PFA Chief Executive Craig Foster.
“Secondly, the PFA is a global organisation with reach throughout the world. A large part of the success of Daniel’s case was the seemless cooperation between the PFA and the Swiss Association of Professional Footballers, who attended the CAS on Daniel’s behalf.”
“From a collective perspective, the win at the CAS is also pleasing because it gives the players a complete set of legal silverware. Players have now enjoyed success at FIFA, at the Supreme Court, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and now at the CAS. It continues to give our members every confidence in the PFA’s capacity to protect and deliver,” PFA lawyer, John Didulica, said.