Erik Bothheim will not have to pay 300 million

Erik Botheim, 25, was demanded 300 million kronor by his old club Krasnodar.

He now doesn’t have to pay that, as he has been acquitted by the highest court in sport, CAS.

A protracted legal dispute has now been resolved. Malmö FF’s Norwegian striker Erik Botheim will not have to pay 300 million kronor to Russian club Krasnodar, something that Gasetten was first to report.

It was in the spring of 2022 that Botheim left Krasnodar to sign for Italian Salernitana, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.

The Russian club argued that the Norwegian only had the right to pause his contract and not break it, which led to the matter being taken to FIFA.

Requested compensation

Botheim, in turn, demanded compensation for unpaid salaries and sign-on bonuses.

At first, Fifa awarded Botheim compensation of nearly six million kronor, but the decision was appealed to the highest court in sport, CAS.

Krasnodar then demanded 300 million kronor from the Norwegian – but now a decision has been made on the matter. Neither party will be entitled to compensation, CAS announces.

“Faced with a difficult situation”

They write that Krasnodar were not clear enough about Botheim’s contract situation when he left Russia in 2022 and they also state that the Norwegian did not benefit financially from signing for Salernitana.

“The player’s fault – in the overall circumstances – is quite minor. He was faced with a difficult situation with complex factual and legal issues and with little or no guidance available from FIFA and case law on how to deal with this extraordinary situation,” CAS wrote.

The player’s fault – in the overall circumstances – is quite minor. He was faced with a difficult situation with complex factual and legal issues and with little or no guidance available from Fifa and case law on how to deal with this extraordinary situation

Erik Botheim is long-term injured and will miss the rest of the Swedish league season.

check The entire judgment can be read here.

The entire judgment can be readhere.