Landmark CAS Ruling Forces Bolivian Club to Pay Player in Full – A Wake-Up Call for Global Football

In a groundbreaking victory for players' rights, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered Bolivian club Club Blooming to pay every cent owed to midfielder Cristian Arano—sending a strong message to clubs worldwide that unpaid wages and bonuses will no longer be tolerated.

The ruling, widely welcomed by player unions across the globe, is being hailed as a watershed moment in the fight against unpaid wages in professional football. The Korea Pro-Football Players Association (KPFA) called it a “milestone for player rights,” as the CAS decision overturned a partial domestic verdict and granted Arano the full amount of $42,200 in unpaid salary, bonuses, and allowances—plus 5% interest.

The dispute began when Arano took legal action against his former club, Club Blooming, in 2022 after months of unpaid wages and bonuses. Bolivia’s domestic tribunal, the Tribunal Superior de Apelación (TSA), initially ruled that only a portion of the salary—approximately $24,000—was payable, dismissing bonuses and other entitlements based on outdated legislation.

But with the support of Bolivia’s player union FABOL and global union FIFPRO, the case was elevated to CAS in 2024. CAS ultimately sided entirely with Arano, mandating full payment across all claims, setting a powerful precedent in the process.

“This decision proves that players are not powerless,” said KPFA General Secretary Kim Hoon-ki. “Footballers are workers, and just like any professional, they deserve to be paid what they are owed.”

Beyond the immediate win for Arano, the ruling casts a spotlight on the inadequacy of national sports tribunals that often favor bureaucratic convenience over player protection. The TSA’s suggestion that Arano pursue unpaid bonuses through civil courts effectively denied timely justice and illustrates the systemic barriers players face.

Kim added that the verdict should push football authorities worldwide—including in Korea—to reevaluate the fairness and functionality of their own dispute resolution systems.

“This is not just Bolivia’s problem. Players across Asia, Europe, and South America are still suffering under unfair conditions. Now is the time for countries like Korea to bring their systems up to international standards.”

The KPFA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening legal support for unpaid players, enhancing transparency in agent contracts, and expanding cooperation with FIFPRO to establish robust player protections at both domestic and global levels.