The case revolves around a dispute between FK Sileks, a football club from North Macedonia, and FK Tabane 1970, a Serbian club, concerning training compensation for a player referred to as "D." The player, of Serbian nationality, had been registered as an amateur with several clubs, including FK Tabane 1970, before signing his first professional contract with FK Sileks in June 2016. In April 2017, FK Tabane 1970 and other clubs filed claims with FIFA, seeking training compensation. The FIFA Single Judge ruled in favor of FK Tabane 1970, ordering FK Sileks to pay EUR 7,500 plus interest and procedural costs. FK Sileks did not respond during the FIFA proceedings but later appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in September 2017, requesting a sole arbitrator. Initially, FK Sileks sought to consolidate its appeals against all four training clubs, but CAS rejected this due to procedural requirements. The case against FK Tabane 1970 was recorded separately as CAS 2017/A/5350.
FK Sileks argued that it had obtained a written waiver from FK Tabane 1970's General Secretary, Mr. Nikola Milosavljević, dated 13 June 2016, relinquishing any claim to training compensation. In its Statement of Defence, FK Tabane 1970 acknowledged FK Sileks' appeal as justified, effectively conceding it had no right to compensation. However, FK Tabane 1970 failed to submit further arguments or comply with procedural deadlines, including signing the Order of Procedure. The Sole Arbitrator, Professor Petros C. Mavroidis, confirmed CAS's jurisdiction under FIFA Statutes and the CAS Code, noting the appeal met all procedural requirements. The applicable law included FIFA's 2017 procedural rules, the 2016 FIFA Statutes, and Swiss law where necessary.
Given FK Tabane 1970's acknowledgment in its Statement of Defence and its failure to challenge the authenticity of the waiver, the Sole Arbitrator found no grounds to dispute FK Sileks' claims. The case hinged on the validity of the waiver and FK Tabane 1970's subsequent admission, which undermined its claim for compensation. The Sole Arbitrator concluded that FK Sileks should be released from the obligation to pay the awarded sum, with procedural costs to be borne by FK Tabane 1970. The final award, issued on 24 April 2018, overturned the FIFA decision, ruling in favor of FK Sileks and dismissing all other requests for relief. The decision underscores the binding nature of written agreements in sports disputes and the importance of timely compliance with arbitration procedures.