February 9 – Cardiff City have reached an out-of-court settlement with an agent over the release of documents and messages about the transfer of the late Emiliano Sala.
The private plane Sala was travelling in from France crashed into the Channel in January 2019, killing him and the pilot.
Club civil proceedings against Willie McKay, who with his son Mark were reportedly involved in the unlicensed private flight to Cardiff, were due to be heard in Cardiff but have now been discontinued.
Sala had signed a £15 million deal to join Cardiff from Nantes. His body was found in the plane’s wreckage after it crashed on 21 January 2019, two days after Cardiff announced his signing. No trace has ever been found of the pilot, 59-year-old David Ibbotson.
FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay the £15 million transfer fee despite the Championship club’s insistence that Nantes should must be held accountable for the accident that led to Sala’s death, saying the flight had been organised by the French club’s agent.
Last year a negligence claim was logged by Cardiff in the French courts against Nantes and Thursday was to be day one of a separate court hearing over McKay’s involvement in the transfer, but an agreement between the agent and City has now been reached.
Cardiff’s lawyers, Capital Law, said: “Our litigation in France against Nantes is ongoing and a number of people are helping us with our search for the truth about the death of Emiliano Sala. Our case against their agent was part of that process.”
McKay said in a statement to Sky: “Out of respect for the family of Emiliano Sala, I felt it was necessary to confirm that Cardiff have reached an agreement with me regarding their claim against Nantes.
“My family and myself have endured endless unfounded allegations and accusations, but we have always known that we were innocent of any wrongdoing.”
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