FIFA to probe agent over Webster's Tynecastle exit
ANDY WEBSTER'S agent is to come under the scrutiny of FIFA for his part in the defender's exit from Hearts last year.
Football's governing body have also ordered Webster to pay the Edinburgh club £625,000 compensation for illegal breach of his contract, and suspended him for the first two weeks of next season.
Charles Duddy, Webster's Angus-based representative, helped the player invoke article 17 of the FIFA statutes governing the transfer of players, which permit players to voluntarily opt out of a four-year contract at the end of its third year.
The Scotland internationalist left Tynecastle for the last time on June 30 last year when his deal still had 12 months to run - however, he did not provide Hearts with sufficient notice for doing so.
He subsequently moved to English Premiership club Wigan Athletic, a move which received FIFA's own ratification, and then on loan to Rangers in January. Hearts were demanding £5million for Webster but, under the terms of the article, they were technically only entitled to be reimbursed with his salary for the remaining year of his contract, which equated to around £200,000.
Duddy will now be investigated by FIFA for his role in the long-running saga, but Wigan have been absolved of any blame.
A FIFA statement read: "FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber found Mr Andrew Webster guilty of having breached the employment contract without just cause outside the Protected Period and condemned him to pay Heart of Midlothian the amount of GBP 625,000 as compensation. In assessing the amount of compensation due to his former club, the Dispute Resolution Chamber applied Article 17.1 of the FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players, which lists some of the objective criteria that may be applied in the evaluation of the amount of compensation due for breach of contract. Yet, the Chamber observed that the aforementioned list is not exhaustive and, therefore, retained its legitimate right to decide according to its own experience and consideration.
"In addition, the deciding authority considered that Mr Andrew Webster failed to give Heart of Midlothian due notice of termination in accordance with Article 17.3 of the FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players and, therefore, decided that he will not be eligible to participate in any official football match for a period of two weeks as from the beginning of the next national league championship for which he will be registered.
"The Dispute Resolution Chamber finally decided that the role played by the agent Mr Charles Duddy in the breach of contract requires further investigation by the competent authorities."
