CAS backs Sevilla’s dismissal of player for being overweight

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of Sevilla regarding the dismissal of defender Joris Gnagnon.

The CAS ruled that Sevilla had valid reason to terminate Gnagnon's contract and ordered the player to pay the costs of the proceedings, the Spanish club confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

The French central defender was sacked by Sevilla in September 2021 after long-standing concerns over the player's professionalism and fitness.

The reasons given by Sevilla to justify the dismissal of Gnagnon were “the player's alleged overweight situation and his multiple delays in training”.

Gnagnon, whose contract with Sevilla was due to expire in June 2023, appealed to the CAS for unfair dismissal, demanding millions of euros in compensation.

Gnagnon had previously approached FIFA, but football's governing body rejected his request, calling it “inadmissible”, with the player having already filed a complaint with a Spanish court.

The Spanish court dismissed Gnagnon's case because he failed to attend the mandatory hearing.

Gnagnon, who joined Sevilla in the summer of 2018 in a €13.5 million ($14.7 million) move from Rennes, has played just seven La Liga matches over the of his three years at the club.

According to the verdict, the players' weight parameters expected by the club were reasonable. Additionally, Sevilla tried to help the player and repeatedly warned Gnagnon of the consequences of not following the guidelines set by the club.

Various medical checks carried out by the club revealed that the player was overweight.

Gnagnon, 27, has been without a club since leaving St Etienne in May 2022.

He had joined the French team as a free agent four months after being fired by Sevilla.