The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on a dispute between MKE Ankaragücü SKD and Johannes Hopf, stemming from the termination of the player's employment contract. The case originated with a decision by FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) on November 5, 2019, which ordered the club to pay €310,000 in unpaid salaries and imposed a two-registration-period ban for failing to meet contractual obligations. The club appealed to CAS, challenging the sporting sanctions and arguing the termination was justified due to the player's alleged poor performance. The CAS panel, composed of three arbitrators, addressed procedural and substantive issues, including the club's failure to name FIFA as a respondent in its appeal, which was crucial since FIFA had imposed the sanctions. The panel highlighted that proper procedural compliance is essential, and the omission of FIFA as a respondent could have led to the appeal's dismissal. However, the panel considered exceptional circumstances: the club had already paid the player before the FIFA proceedings, but due to miscommunication, the DRC issued sanctions based on incomplete information. FIFA acknowledged the error and supported lifting the sanctions. The panel exercised its de novo review powers under Article R57 of the CAS Code, allowing it to re-examine facts and law, and ultimately annulled the DRC's decision, lifting the transfer ban. The ruling emphasized fairness and reasonableness, noting the unique circumstances of the case, including the player's confirmation of payment and lack of further claims. The decision underscores the importance of procedural accuracy in CAS appeals and the flexibility of arbitration bodies to address exceptional cases while maintaining justice. The panel clarified that this ruling should not set a precedent, as it was based on highly specific facts. The final award annulled the FIFA DRC's decision and dismissed all other claims, concluding the dispute in favor of the club.