Vietnam Faces Pay out of US$197,000 to French Soccer Coach

Vietnam Faces Pay out of US$197,000 to French Soccer Coach

The Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), under the International Council of Arbitration for Sports, has handed down a verdict asking the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to pay compensation of US$197,000 to the French soccer coach Christian Letard, for firing him unjustly.

The CAS threatened that if the VFF fails to comply with the judgment, the communist national squad will be banned at international tournaments for two years.

The French coach was dismissed in August 2002, only five months after signing a 20-month contract to lead the team, due to the poor performance of the Vietnamese U23 team at the LG Cup. He also had disputes with the VFF over selection policy and coaching style.

According to Mr. Tran Duy Ly, VFF’s Standing Vice Chairman, the dismissal received great support from both the national Sport Committee and local football fans as continuing Letard's employment would spoil the expected improved performance of the team at the 22^nd SEA Games held in Vietnam.

However, Mr. Ly also admitted that VFF’s solutions regarding compensation to Christian Letard represented a poor knowledge about international sport law and clauses defined in the labor contract.

Mr. Letard declined a compensation amount equivalent to three months’ salary proposed by VFF and asked for the whole period (30 months) salary (US$144,000) and sent a petition to FIFA.

FIFA then agreed on VFF’s decision and ruled that it had to pay US$35,000 to Letard but the French coach was not satisfied and lodged an appeal with the CAS and won his case.

The case may harm the prestige of Vietnam’s football, Ly noted.

He revealed that the case was reported to the Prime Minister and VFF will invite the famous lawyer Nguyen Huy Thiep and his colleagues in France, to represent the VFF in the case.

A delegation of the Sport Committee will also be sent to Switzerland to explain the case in detail in an effort to save the face and prestige of the VFF, a source from VFF said.

The Federation’s General Secretary Pham Ngoc Vien, who was in charge of negotiating the contract with Letard, will face strict punishment, the source revealed.

The move has put further pressure on VFF’s delegation, as a case with the last foreign couch Tavares, is still ongoing.

In the past two years, Vietnam has changed four coaches and is currently seeking another foreigner.

• (Young People)