Court Rules Spanish Athletes Are Entitled To Be Compensated When Their Contracts Expire

Spain's Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Spanish athletes are "now entitled to receive payment equal to 12 days' salary per year they were contracted when their employers do not renew expiring contracts," according to the EFE. The "ruling resolves the conflict between Spain's Association of Professional Cyclists and the Association of Professional Cycling Teams." The ruling "accepts that the employment contracts of professional athletes are essentially seasonal." The Supreme Court said that the ruling "allows athletes to renegotiate the conditions of their contracts based on their athletic success." The "new regulation is intended to economically facilitate an athlete's transition from contract to contract with different clubs or organizations, above all for athletes below the elite level who receive little payment" (EFE, 4/8).