Inverness succeed with Niculae case appeal

13 December 2010 14:30
Inverness have won their appeal against a FIFA verdict which ruled they owed former player Marius Niculae £130,000 in compensation. The FIFA dispute resolution chamber had ruled in Niculae's favour on September 17, 2009. But that decision has been annulled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the player having to pay the costs of the hearing, as well as the club's costs. Niculae had claimed he was entitled to 30% of his £400,000 transfer fee from Inverness to Dinamo Bucharest in August 2008 but Inverness have always maintained he "initiated" his departure. The Highlanders say Niculae was pictured on the Dinamo website in a Dinamo shirt, alongside a story saying he had signed a three-year contract, at a stage when Inverness still held his contract and had not agreed to any transfer. Club chairman George Fraser and vice-chairman Graeme Bennett pleaded the club's case at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, in September. Fraser told the club's official website: "We're obviously delighted with the court's findings as they completely vindicate the club's position. The outcome demonstrates that this club acted fairly and correctly at all times in relation to the Marius Niculae transfer. "It's taken a long time and we've had to expend a great deal of time and money in this process but we felt it was necessary to uphold the club's reputation for integrity. We are fully vindicated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that is extremely satisfying and we can finally move on."

Source: PA