CAS orders Vita Club to pay over €612,000 to Moroccan coach Abdel Salam Ouaddou for wrongful dismissal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered Congolese giants AS Vita club to pay over €612,000 in compensation and outstanding financial entitlements to Moroccan coach Abdel Salam Ouaddou.

The ruling brings to a close a case that began after Ouaddou challenged the club’s decision to terminate his contract, arguing that the dismissal was unlawful and in breach of the terms of his employment agreement.

According to the CAS decision, the Moroccan tactician filed his complaint against Vita Club on November 18, 2024, seeking justice after claiming that the Congolese side had ended his contract without any valid justification.

Following its review of the case, the Lausanne-based court declared the appeal admissible and found that Vita Club had indeed unilaterally terminated Ouaddou’s contract on January 11, 2024, without legitimate cause.

The verdict represents a major legal setback for the Kinshasa-based club, with CAS concluding that the termination constituted a breach of contract under the applicable football regulations.

As a result, the court ordered Vita Club to compensate the former Morocco international with substantial financial payments covering unpaid contractual obligations, expenses and damages.

According to the ruling, Ouaddou is entitled to receive €157,000 in outstanding salaries and contractual bonuses owed to him during his time with the club.

CAS also awarded him €1,977.30 to reimburse travel expenses incurred during his employment.

In addition, the court ordered Vita Club to pay €453,250 as compensation for the unjustified termination of his contract.

The combined awards amount to €612,227.30, representing one of the most significant compensation rulings involving an African club in recent years.

However, despite the decisive judgment in Ouaddou’s favour, the dispute did not end there.

According to the latest developments in the case, the Moroccan coach informed CAS on June 9, 2026, that Vita Club had yet to implement the ruling or settle any of the financial obligations imposed by the court.

Ouaddou’s complaint over the club’s failure to comply prompted CAS to issue a fresh procedural order on July 23, 2026, increasing the legal pressure on the Congolese outfit.

Under the new order, Vita Club has been instructed to pay 3,000 Swiss francs towards the Moroccan coach’s legal costs.

The court further ruled that the Congolese club must also bear two-thirds of the arbitration costs associated with the case, with the exact amount to be determined at a later stage.

The latest order underscores CAS’s determination to ensure that its judgments are respected and enforced.

In concluding its decision, the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a clear warning to Vita Club, stressing that failure to comply with the ruling could expose the club to further legal and disciplinary measures.

The nature of those potential sanctions was not specified, but CAS made it clear that continued non-compliance would not be tolerated.

For Ouaddou, the judgment represents the culmination of a lengthy legal battle to protect his contractual rights and secure compensation for what the court ultimately determined was an unlawful dismissal.

The ruling also serves as a reminder of the importance of contractual compliance in professional football, with clubs expected to honour employment agreements or face significant financial and legal consequences when disputes are brought before international sporting tribunals.

Attention will now turn to whether Vita Club complies with the CAS ruling or risks facing additional sanctions for failing to satisfy the financial obligations imposed by the world’s highest court for sports-related disputes.