CNN.com - FIFA decline Charleroi settlement

CHARLEROI, Belgium -- FIFA have declined to pay a settlement of 615,000 euros ($749,000) to avert a courtroom battle with Belgian first division club Charleroi.

Charleroi, backed in the landmark case by the G14 group representing 18 of the top clubs in Europe, are seeking compensation after one of their players was injured on international duty.

"We are in court because FIFA are not willing to reach a compromise out of court with the club," said Charleroi lawyer Jean-Pierre Deprez.

Three judges heard submissions for six hours and will now consider their verdict which is not expected to be delivered for several weeks. The case seems likely to end up eventually in the European Court of Justice.

Deprez said Charleroi chairman Abbas Bayat met FIFA President Sepp Blatter late on Friday but they were unable to reach agreement. "We will drop our case if we receive compensation. The figure is 615,000 euros," Deprez said.

The Belgian side are seeking compensation after Moroccan Abdelmajid Oulmers was ruled out for eight months after playing in a friendly against Burkina Faso in November 2004.

Charleroi say the loss of the player hindered their chances of success in the domestic league and cup.

FIFA says there is no link between the injury of Oulmers and where Charleroi finished in the league last season, fifth.

The most likely outcome, according to sources on both sides, is a referral of the case to the ECJ, in Luxembourg. This was a request of the G14 in their submissions.

"We don't want to go to war," G14 general manager Thomas Kurth said.

"We will accept of course any decision and abide by the law, but how we react to the decision depends on the detail of it."

He said a decision before the World Cup in Germany, starting on June 9, was "unlikely" and accepted that this opened up the possibility of further cases.

"We of course hope there are no injuries in the World Cup, but we have also made a declaration to back any club which wishes to take similar cases to this," Kurth said.

The judges have between 30 and 90 days to make their decision. "Due to the importance of the case, they are aiming to reach a decision in about half the time," a court official said.

Opening statements from Charleroi began at 1330 GMT in front of a packed courtroom. A panel of three, led by chief judge Jean-Philippe Lebeau, heard the case.

Many of FIFA's national associations were listed in the court papers as "defendants" although three of Europe's biggest associations - England, France and Germany - were not listed.

The G14 has joined Lyon in a similar action over defender Eric Abidal who broke his foot during a France friendly. Clubs pay the wages of players, which exceed $175,000 a week for the top performers.

Under FIFA rules they must release any player called up by a national association for matches, both qualifying games for the leading continental tournaments and friendlies, that are part of an international calendar put together by FIFA.

G14 says the regulations "are illegal and an abuse of FIFA's dominant position" under European Union law.

"The current regulations are written by the federations, for the federations and these regulations favour federations over clubs," Kurth said.

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