Adrian Mutu must pay Chelsea �£14m

[ian1964 10,720]

Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has lost his final appeal in a five-year legal battle and must pay the club �£14m in damages for breach of contract.

 

The Swiss Federal Court confirmed on Monday that they have upheld the decision made by Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

 

Mutu, 31- who now plays for Fiorentina - was sacked by the Blues in 2004 after testing positive for cocaine.

 

Romanian Mutu received a seven-month worldwide football ban.

 

The English Premier League club then set about suing him in order to recover the �£15m they paid to sign him from Parma in 2003, which they now look largely set to achieve.

 

Switzerland's highest court issued the following statement: "The Swiss Federal Tribunal has rejected the appeal filed by Adrian Mutu against a sentence by Cas.

 

"The Cas had sentenced the professional Romanian footballer to paying a sum of more than 17 million euros to his previous employer, Chelsea Football Club Limited."

 

Last year, Cas upheld Fifa's ruling for a breach of contract - which Mutu described as "inhumane and unjust" when it was issued in 2008.

 

The compensation figure, based on lost earnings, was calculated on the length of time Mutu's Chelsea contract had left to run, and was the highest handed down by Fifa.

 

After serving his ban, Mutu joined Juventus in January 2005 and at the end of the following season he moved to his current side Fiorentina.

 

When Fifa announced its verdict in 2008, Chelsea welcomed it, calling it "a very significant decision for football".

 

The Blues have made no comment on the decision of the Swiss Federal Court.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8738824.stm