The case involves a dispute between Nasr Athletique de Hussein Dey (NAHD), an Algerian football club, and Yaly Mohamed Dellah, a professional footballer from Mauritania, regarding the termination of their employment contract. The dispute was brought before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) ruled in favor of the player. The contract, signed in July 2019, stipulated a two-season term with a monthly salary of 1,669,480.22 Algerian dinars (DZD). The player terminated the contract in December 2019, citing unpaid salaries for October and November as just cause. He filed a complaint with FIFA, seeking unpaid wages and compensation for contract termination. The club contested FIFA's jurisdiction, arguing the dispute should be handled by the Algerian Football Federation's National Dispute Resolution Chamber (CNRL), and filed a counterclaim alleging unjust termination.
The FIFA DRC ruled in favor of the player in April 2020, ordering the club to pay unpaid salaries and compensation, with interest, and imposed a transfer ban if the club failed to comply. The club appealed to CAS, which examined jurisdiction, just cause for termination, and compensation calculations. CAS upheld FIFA's jurisdiction, finding the CNRL lacked independence and procedural fairness, as it did not meet FIFA's standards for parity and impartiality. The court confirmed the player had just cause to terminate the contract under FIFA regulations due to unpaid wages. Compensation was recalculated based on the remaining contract value minus earnings from the player's subsequent employment with Al Naser Sport Club in Libya. The CAS also awarded supplementary compensation of three months' salary, capped at the residual contract value.
The CAS dismissed the club's appeal, affirming the FIFA DRC's decision and ordering the club to pay the outstanding amounts with interest. The ruling reinforced FIFA's authority in international football disputes and clarified the conditions for just cause termination due to unpaid wages. It highlighted the importance of contractual obligations and the consequences of non-compliance in professional football. The case also underscored procedural complexities in sports arbitration, jurisdictional disputes, and the enforcement of financial obligations. The final decision, issued on October 20, 2021, emphasized the need for fair representation and independence in dispute resolution bodies, as well as the principle of mitigation in calculating damages. The outcome serves as a precedent for similar disputes, reinforcing the balance between player rights and club responsibilities under FIFA regulations.