A recent court ruling has referred a high-profile dispute between former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia and football agent Saif Alrubie to the Football Association (FA) for arbitration. The case revolves around the transfer of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham in 2021, with Alrubie claiming he is owed a commission from the deal.

Background of the Dispute

• Transfer Details: Chelsea received £29.1 million for Zouma's transfer to West Ham.
• Agent's Claim: Under FIFA regulations, agents acting on behalf of selling clubs are entitled to up to 10% of the transfer fee, which would amount to nearly £3 million for Alrubie.

Legal Proceedings

• Court Hearing: The High Court recently deliberated whether the case should remain within the court system or be handled by FA arbitration.
• FA Regulations: According to FA rules, disputes arising from representation agreements without an international dimension should be resolved under Rule K, which mandates arbitration between the parties involved.

Key Arguments

• Granovskaia's Position: Granovskaia, who left Chelsea in 2022 following the club's takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, is no longer classified as an FA participant. Alrubie's legal team argued that this should have kept the case within the court system.
• Potential Implications: Had the case remained in court, Granovskaia might have been required to disclose confidential details about Zouma's transfer, and Chelsea could have been compelled to provide relevant information.

Court Ruling

• Arbitration Decision: The court ruled that the FA should handle the case, confirming that Alrubie must cover Granovskaia's court costs, including an initial payment of £150,000 within 14 days.

Statements from Both Parties

• Alrubie's Spokesperson: "While we would have preferred the case to be heard in open court, we are satisfied that the High Court judge confirmed Marina Granovskaia is answerable in these proceedings. We look forward to pursuing our action for justice via the Rule K arbitration process."
• Granovskaia's Spokesperson: "We welcome the High Court ruling in Ms. Granovskaia's favor. Our position has always been that Mr. Rubie's claim is baseless, but if he wished to pursue it, he should have done so through the proper forum, which the court has confirmed is Rule K arbitration."

Previous Legal Battle

Last year, Alrubie was acquitted of sending a threatening email to Granovskaia regarding the Zouma deal, after which he initiated this civil case.

This case highlights the complexities of football transfers and the legal disputes that can arise between clubs, agents, and executives.