Sunderland defender Emmanuel Eboue banned for a year until he pays money owed to former agent

Emmanuel Eboue has been hit with a one year ban for failing to pay a former agent, FIFA have confirmed. The 32-year-old Ivorian, who only signed for the Sunderland on March 9, has been sanctioned by FIFA's disciplinary committee for failing to pay his former representative Sebastien Boisseau.

The ban from all football related activity will, however, be rescinded as soon as Eboue pays the money owed to Boisseau. 

Former Arsenal full-back Eboue took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but they dismissed his appeal. 

A FIFA statement read: 

"The origins of the case involve a decision passed by the single judge of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee in July 2013 regarding a contractual dispute according to which Mr Eboué was ordered to pay the players’ agent Mr Sébastien Boisseau an amount owed to him based on the representation agreement between the two parties. The decision was taken on the basis of the FIFA Players’ Agents Regulations in force at the time (2008 edition).

"On 9 September 2014, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to sanction Mr Eboué with a fine of CHF 30,000 for failing to comply with the decision of the single judge of the Players’ Status Committee on the basis of art. 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code . 

"The player was also granted a final period of grace of 120 days to settle his debt, upon failure of which the creditor – Mr Boisseau – would be entitled to request that a one-year ban on taking part in any football-related activity be imposed on Mr Eboué.

"Mr Eboué appealed to CAS against the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision, but the appeal was dismissed and the decision of the Disciplinary Committee confirmed in full."

The news comes as a blow to Eboue's relegation threatened club Sunderland, who only signed the defender 22 days ago.

FIFA statement in full:

Emmanuel Eboué, who has represented Côte d’Ivoire and is currently registered for the English club Sunderland A.F.C., is to serve a ban on taking part in any football-related activity that will last for one year or until he pays the total outstanding amount owed to his former agent if this occurs before the one-year ban has elapsed.

 

The origins of the case involve a decision passed by the single judge of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee in July 2013 regarding a contractual dispute according to which Mr Eboué was ordered to pay the players’ agent Mr Sébastien Boisseau an amount owed to him based on the representation agreement between the two parties. The decision was taken on the basis of the FIFA Players’ Agents Regulations in force at the time (2008 edition).*

 

On 9 September 2014, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to sanction Mr Eboué with a fine of CHF 30,000 for failing to comply with the decision of the single judge of the Players’ Status Committee on the basis of art. 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code . The player was also granted a final period of grace of 120 days to settle his debt, upon failure of which the creditor – Mr Boisseau – would be entitled to request that a one-year ban on taking part in any football-related activity be imposed on Mr Eboué. 

 

Mr Eboué appealed to CAS against the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision, but the appeal was dismissed and the decision of the Disciplinary Committee confirmed in full.

Following the expiry of the final deadline granted, Mr Boisseau requested that the one-year ban be imposed on Mr Eboué in accordance with the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. The relevant parties, including The Football Association which has been requested to implement said ban, have been informed accordingly.