Norwegian football professional Mathias Normann, who ruined his career by traveling to Moscow and playing football after Russia attacked Ukraine, will have to play desert football for almost two more years to pay the compensation he has been sentenced to his former club, FC Rostov.
This after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected his appeal. – We realized early on that things were not quite in order already when he, as a Bodø/Glimt player, posted a series of pictures of himself flexing muscles in his bare upper body on social media, but that it would be so badly surprised actually.
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The war as an excuse was not accepted
Normann claimed the war in Ukraine and the security situation in Russia made it impossible to fulfill the contract. But CAS did not find these arguments convincing.
In February 2023, Normann was first sentenced by FIFA to pay 2.9 million euros. Following an appeal, the amount has now been adjusted up to over 3 million euros.
Saudi club with co-responsibility
Normann’s current club, Al-Raed from Saudi Arabia, has been found jointly and severally liable. This means:
- Rostov can claim the full amount from Al-Raed if Normann does not pay
- The club risks a ban on playing registration in the event of non-payment
- Interest of 5% accrues from August 2023
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CAS’ decision in main points:
- No force majeure
The court rejected that the war constituted an “unforeseen event” that released Normann from the contract. - Self-inflicted situation
CAS emphasized that Normann himself chose to return to Russia in September 2022 – seven months after the invasion. - Lack of dialogue
The judgment points out that Normann did not do enough to resolve the situation through negotiations with Rostov.
Reactions from the parties involved:
- Normann or his representatives have not commented on the case
- Normann’s agent during the case, Giovanni Santoro, did not appear as a witness – something CAS expresses disappointment about
Background:
Normann played for Rostov from 2019-2021 before a loan to Norwich. When Norwich were relegated in 2022, he returned to Russia and Dinamo Moscow on loan. In August 2023, he broke his contract and signed for Al-Raed. He has not played for the national team since returning to Russian football in 2022.
Now what?
Normann has the opportunity to appeal to the Swiss Supreme Court within a deadline.
Short facts:
- Name: Mathias Normann
- Age: 28 years
- International caps: 12
- Current club: Al-Raed (Saudi Arabia)
- Previous clubs: Rostov, Norwich, Brighton, Bodø/Glimt, Molde
- Last cap: 2022
