Eduardo v Mamic Court Case Starts

What started off as a “father and son” type relationship has ended up in the courtroom. On Thursday in a Zagreb Court, the case between Dinamo Zagreb Chairman Zdravko Mamic and former Dinamo Zagreb, Arsenal and current Croatian representative Eduardo da Silva has started.

Da Silva is seeking from the courts that all contracts he entered into with Mamic, and later with his son Mario, be declared null and void , stating that they are exorbitant and amoral.

Zdravko Mamic and his son Mario claim to have a number of witnesses that will prove how much and in what way they invested in Da Silva from the moment they brought him from Brazil to Croatia, until his transfer to Arsenal.

Eduardo’s lawyer reiterated at yesterday’s opening that his clients status as a professional footballer could only be determined based on a contract in accordance with FIFA regulations. According to these regulations, Mamic and his son could not receive compensation of more than six percent of Da Silva’s earnings. According to the contract signed by the footballer when he was only 18-years-old, Mamic lay claim to as much as 20 percent of the his total income, including premiums, bonuses, advertising revenue and the like.

Mamic’s lawyer is arguing that the pair’s contract is a civil matter and that FIFA has no jurisdiction. The case continues.