Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary has lost his last appeal in a legal battle with FIFA, and must serve a four-month ban for breaking his contract with former club Al-Ahly.
The Swiss Federal Court ignored El Hadary’s arguments, after he lost previous rulings at FIFA’s disputes panel and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
El Hadary claimed that, at age 37, the ban would jeopardise the rest of his career, and he could not afford to pay Al-Ahly the €565,000 compensation ordered by CAS.
El Hadary broke FIFA transfer rules by walking out mid-season to join Swiss club Sion in 2008.
FIFA responded by banning Sion from signing players for a year.
