Mutu ordered to pay compensation

BERNE: Romania striker Adrian Mutu has failed in his bid to overturn an order to pay Chelsea 17.17 million euros ($24.2 million) in damages after his appeal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday.

Now playing for Fiorentina in Italy, Mutu was fired by the English club five years ago following a positive test for cocaine and was instructed to pay the sum by FIFA last year but took his case to sport's highest tribunal.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today dismissed the appeal filed by the Romanian football player, Adrian Mutu, against the decision rendered by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) on 7 May 2008 in which he was ordered to pay 17,173,990 euros in compensation... for breach of contract," CAS said in a statement on Friday.