Mutu fine put on hold - agent
Adrian Mutu has succeeded in a bid to have the fine he was ordered to pay Chelsea put on temporary hold, his agent has claimed.
The Romanian striker, who cost the Blues £15m in 2003, was sacked a year later after he tested positive for cocaine, and was given a seven-month worldwide football ban.
After being axed by Chelsea and serving his ban, the Romanian joined Juventus in January 2005, and at the end of the following season he moved to Fiorentina, where he remains.
In May last year, Mutu was ordered to pay damages of €17,173,990 to Chelsea by FIFA’s dispute resolution chamber, but the player lodged an appeal against the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The CAS dismissed Mutu’s appeal in July.
Mutu appealed to the Swiss Federal Court, and according to Mutu’s agent, Giovanni Becali, the fine has been suspended.
Becali told Gazzetta dello Sport: “The suspension of the fine is a positive decision for Mutu, but we must not celebrate because this is just the first step.
“This is a provisional suspension until the end of November.
“It is the first step. We hope that Mutu will not pay because he has already paid so much by not playing for several months and losing money.”
