Spanish soccer club wins ruling against ‘overweight’ player who sought $5M from terminated contract

By: The Associated Press Posted: 11:19 AM CST Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Sevilla has won a legal case against a former player at sport's highest court, which ruled that it was justified in terminating the contract of defender Joris Gnagnon for being consistently overweight after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish club said Thursday.

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SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Sevilla has won a legal case against a former player at sport’s highest court, which ruled that it was justified in terminating the contract of defender Joris Gnagnon for being consistently overweight after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish club said Thursday.

The former France Under-21 international had previously asked FIFA for compensation of more than 4.6 million euros ($5 million) plus interest for having his contract terminated in September 2021. The five-year contract was worth 11 million euros ($12 million).

Returning to Sevilla for preseason training in July 2021, Gnagnon was found to be “overweight at ‘level II (pre-obesity)’,” the FIFA disputes panel ruling said 16 months ago.

FILE - Rennes' Joris Gnagnon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Rennes and Lazio, at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, France, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019. Spanish soccer team Sevilla FC said it won a ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport that it was justified to terminate Gnagnon's contract in 2021 because he was consistently overweight. Gnagnon had previously asked FIFA for nearly 5 million euros in compensation from Sevilla for the contact termination. (AP Photo/David Vincent, File)

Gnagnon went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the FIFA judges ruled that his claim with the soccer body was inadmissible because he also was pursuing the case at a civil court in Spain. That civil claim was later withdrawn.

CAS said Thursday it had dismissed Gnagnon’s appeal against the FIFA ruling handed down in September 2022.

“The ruling ends a long procedure that began after the player’s post-pandemic return to the club, in which he arrived severely overweight.” Sevilla said in a statement.

The FIFA ruling detailed Sevilla’s ongoing issues with his weight exceeding 90 kilograms (200 lbs), with the club also saying the defender repeatedly arrived late for training sessions and meetings.

Gnagnon turned 27 last week and has been a free agent since a six-month contract with French club Saint-Etienne ended in June 2022.

He comes from the same Paris suburb, Bondy, as Kylian Mbappé and was developed at Rennes before joining Sevilla aged 21. He returned to the French club for a loan spell during his second season in Spain.

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