In a judgment of 10 March 2021, after a case lasting almost five years, the Zurich Labour Court held that the 2016 dismissal of Markus Kattner, former FIFA Acting Secretary General, was justified and appropriate.

The Court determined that, given the breaches of loyalty committed by this former employee, it would have been inconceivable to allow him to continue working at FIFA. Consequently, his dismissal without notice was fully justified.

Mr Kattner initially claimed over CHF 10 million from FIFA as “compensation” for alleged wrongful termination. This claim was based on an employment contract signed with him by the previous FIFA administration on 31 May 2015 (four days after the arrests of numerous football officials at the Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich). That claim was rejected in full by the Court.

The decision of the Zurich Labour Court is subject to appeal.

Update: With its decision dated 4 October 2022, the Zurich Superior Court has repealed the judgment of the Zurich Labour Court of 10 March 2021 in favour of FIFA. The Zurich Superior Court declared the dismissal of Markus Kattner not justified and remanded the case back to the Labour Court for a decision on the compensation claimed by Markus Kattner. FIFA has appealed the decision of the Zurich Superior Court to the Federal Court.