The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) resolved a dispute between FC Hradec Kralove, a Czech football club, and Genoa Cricket and Football Club, an Italian club, concerning training compensation for a player who moved from FC Hradec Kralove to Genoa. The case centered on determining the correct amount of compensation owed to FC Hradec Kralove for training the player during his amateur years (ages 10 to 15) before he signed his first professional contract with Genoa. The key legal issue was whether the compensation should be calculated based on the regulations in force during the player's training period or those applicable at the time of his professional contract signing. FC Hradec Kralove initially claimed EUR 240,000, but the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) ruled in June 2013 that Genoa should pay only EUR 45,000. Dissatisfied, FC Hradec Kralove appealed to CAS, arguing for higher compensation under the regulations effective after 1 October 2009, which introduced higher rates. Genoa countered that the pre-October 2009 regulations, setting compensation at EUR 10,000 per year for players aged 12–15, should apply since the training occurred before the amendment.
The CAS panel, composed of José María Alonso Puig, Mika Palmgren, and Margarita Echeverria Bermúdez, confirmed its jurisdiction and the admissibility of the appeal. It upheld the principle that training compensation must be calculated based on the regulations in effect during the player's training years, not when the right to compensation arose. The panel emphasized that applying later regulations retroactively would violate Swiss legal principles prohibiting such effects unless explicitly stated. The disputed training periods had concluded before the 2009 amendment, making the earlier regulations applicable. The panel referenced prior CAS rulings and FIFA jurisprudence to reinforce this interpretation, ensuring clubs are compensated fairly for their investments in youth development at the time the training occurred.
The CAS ultimately dismissed FC Hradec Kralove's appeal, affirming the DRC's decision that Genoa owed EUR 45,000. This amount reflected compensation for four seasons at a Category 4 club (EUR 40,000) and one month in the 2009/2010 season (EUR 5,000). The ruling also rejected additional claims, including reimbursement of FIFA proceedings costs. The case underscores the legal framework governing training compensation in football, highlighting the distinction between the right to compensation (triggered by a player's first professional contract or transfer before age 23) and its calculation (based on the rules during the training period). The decision reinforces the importance of protecting clubs' investments in youth development while ensuring consistency and fairness in applying regulations. The CAS's role in resolving such disputes was further solidified, with the final award issued on 23 September 2014.