The case involves a legal dispute between professional football player Sebino Plaku and Wroclawski Klub Sportowy Slask Wroclaw S.A. (the Club) over the termination of his employment contract. The dispute centered on the Club's decision to demote Plaku to the reserve team and subject him to individual training, which he argued was unjustified and amounted to harassment, alongside claims of unpaid salaries. Plaku, an Albanian footballer, signed a contract with the Club in June 2013, valid until June 2016, with a monthly salary of EUR 14,000. After a change in the Club's management in late 2013, his playing time decreased, and he was mainly used as a substitute. In August 2014, he suffered a knee and ankle injury, after which the Club proposed reducing his salary to EUR 5,000 per month. When Plaku refused, he was moved to the second team and required to undergo an intensive individual training regimen, which he claimed was excessive and punitive. The Club defended its actions, stating the training was necessary due to his poor performance and fitness levels.
Plaku filed a motion with the Polish Football Association's Chamber for Dispute Resolution (IRSS) in November 2014, seeking to dissolve the contract due to the Club's alleged breaches. The IRSS initially ruled to dissolve the contract without assigning fault in February 2015, a decision upheld by the IRSS Appeals Body in June 2015. Plaku appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which reviewed the case. The CAS panel examined the reasons for Plaku's demotion, the nature of the training facilities, and whether he was paid his full wage. The panel emphasized that while individual training can be justified for injury recovery or fitness improvement, football is inherently a team sport, and prolonged isolation could breach contractual obligations. The panel found Plaku's testimony more credible, as the Club's witnesses failed to provide clear evidence supporting their claims. Additionally, the Club's failure to pay salaries on time for several months was deemed a breach of contract.
The CAS panel concluded that the Club's actions constituted unjust treatment, providing Plaku with just cause to terminate the contract due to the Club's fault. The panel annulled the IRSS decision, ruling in favor of Plaku and entitling him to compensation. The exact amount of compensation was to be assessed by the Polish Football Association’s Chamber for Dispute Resolution, based on the CAS findings. The ruling upheld Plaku's appeal, affirming the termination of the contract through the fault of the Club and his right to compensation. The case highlights the complexities of contractual disputes in professional sports, particularly regarding training regimes, performance expectations, and financial obligations, while underscoring the importance of fair treatment and clear contractual terms.