Drugs in sports is a big topic at the moment, but the news that Adrian Mutu must pay Chelsea 17million euros in damages for breach of contract due to a failed drug test, has to send shock waves throughout sports.
Adrian Mutu was signed by Chelsea in 2003 for £15m. A year later he tested positive for cocaine and was given a seven-month worldwide football ban. Because of the positive test, Chelsea cancelled Mutu’s contract and promptly sued him.
Mutu was ordered to pay the damages by FIFA’s dispute resolution chamber in May last year but lodged an appeal against their decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, the CAS dismissed his appeal on Friday and confirmed he must pay 17,173,990 euros in compensation to Chelsea.
The Daily Mail had a statement from the CAS that said:
‘The panel concluded that the appeal brought by the player was to be dismissed and the measure of damages, as awarded by the DRC, was to be confirmed. Adrian Mutu must pay 17,173,990 euros to Chelsea FC.”
When FIFA announced their verdict last year, Chelsea called it ‘a very significant decision for football’. A Chelsea statement at that time read:
“Not only did the dispute resolution chamber make us a significant monetary award, it also recognised the damaging effect incidents involving drugs have on football and the responsibility we all have in this area.”
The award against Mutu was based on lost earnings and was calculated on the length of time his contract had left to run.
