By Javier Molero/ info@eurohoops.net
Partizan can’t register new players with the Serbian club having a FIBA transfer ban over the case of Kevin Punter, a current Barcelona player.
The Basketball Arbitral Tribunal of FIBA awarded Punter a total of $200.000 on february
Partizan now appears on the list of sanctioned clubs, presumably for not settling the debt to the player.
Punter’s salary for the 2023-24 season was $2,35M net, according to the court documents. Although he was still under contract for the 2024–25 season, the player moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2024.
Partizan claimed they were not responsible for covering the “personal annual income tax,” a tax applied to individuals whose total earnings exceed three times the average annual salary in the Republic of Serbia.
Based on this argument, Partizan withheld two payments totaling $350,000 and eventually paid half of that amount to Punter. In the end, Punter won the case and was also awarded 5% annual interest, along with €20,000 to cover legal and arbitration expenses.
Partizan’s answer
Eurohoops asked the position of the Serbian club and got the following statement:
“BC Partizan is fully aware of this case and the things are going on according to the standard procedures. Current ban will be removed very soon since it was necessary step regarding approved FIBA payment plan.
Yes, it is the case of Kevin Punter’s personal taxes about which details we will not go into. However, we appealed against this decision to the Federal Court in Switzerland.
Having the mind that this was the first time ever that our Club has appealed to the Federal Court in Switzerland, we believe that this explains enough our position and opinion regarding this BAT decision. However, our appeal does not suspend the execution of the BAT decision.
Meanwhile, we will secure normal functioning of the club, including lift of the FIBA ban”.