Lawyer Dino Osmanović from the law firm Ibrahimović & Co won a major legal battle for former Qatar national team player Emir Mujkić, who was awarded by the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal in Geneva all salaries until the end of his contract, compensation for legal costs, and interest.
Former Qatar national team player and Qatar Sports Club member Emir Mujkić prevailed at the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal in Geneva, which granted him all salaries until the end of his contract, compensation for legal costs, and interest.
Decision of the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal in Geneva
The arbitrator ruled that the club did not properly terminate the contract by using WhatsApp messages stating that the contract was terminated only until the end of that season, along with sending a letter to the federation in order to register another player. The club’s statement that it would continue to pay 50 percent of the salary for a period of four months, after which the contract would resume for another three years as before, emphasizing that nothing changes, was also not accepted.
The arbitrator also decided that the player’s departure from Qatar back to Sarajevo for treatment did not constitute a breach or termination of the contract. The player was thus awarded compensation despite being injured most of the time and unable to play.
Mujkić arrived in Qatar as a teenager, where he obtained Qatari citizenship to play for their national team. However, improper medical treatment forced him to end his career prematurely after being diagnosed with a herniated disc, which was treated for years only with steroids at the hospital chosen by the club, causing serious deterioration of his health.
In 2023, after receiving the last dose of steroids—despite the club’s doctor initially advising against it because he had already received many—his condition worsened. Even doctors in Qatar later stated that an infection had been discovered at an unknown site and additional medical procedures in a specialized department were prescribed, but never carried out.
Continuation of treatment in Sarajevo
The player was therefore forced to return to his hometown Sarajevo and seek another opinion, having lost trust in doctors in Qatar. A doctor in Sarajevo concluded that there was a high risk of severe disability if he continued playing, as previous treatments were inadequate and had caused serious damage. Steroids provided only temporary relief, while surgery to address the root cause of the injury was never recommended or performed.
After returning from Qatar, the player had to spend six months bedridden, with doctors constantly issuing sick leave as he was unable to perform even everyday activities or office work, losing control of his legs. Doctors in Qatar never informed him of the risk of disability, instead telling him to continue taking steroids and playing.
The player’s legal representative, Dino Osmanović from the law firm Ibrahimović & Co, emphasized that in this legal battle against Emir, the club engaged its basketball federation and Qatar’s Ministry of Sports, whose lawyer represented them. However, justice was on the player’s side. He stressed that every player always has the right to seek a second medical opinion, to be absent, and to choose their own surgeon in case of surgery without any sanctions, since health is considered the highest priority for a player. Furthermore, every player has the right to compensation for damages resulting from a breach of contract by the other party.
Original text source: Basketball player Emir Mujkić won a legal victory, the club from Qatar must pay him all salaries
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