ABU DHABI // A former coach of Al Ain Football Club has launched an appeal against his three-month suspended sentence for defamation.
Romanian Cosmin Olaroiu, who now works for Al Ahli club in Dubai, was convicted by the Misdemeanours Court in February over remarks he made in a press conference last November.
Olaroiu had implied the club took money from him to buy shirts for the players.
He was cleared of defaming the club online, with the court ruling that it was the fans who had circulated his negative remarks through social media, not Olaroiu.
He was also ordered to pay Dh21,000 as temporary compensation to the club.
If the verdict is upheld after the appeals process, the Civil Court would consider the appropriate compensation.
Al Ain FC also appealed against the verdict.
In the Court of First Instance, Olaroiu’s lawyer argued that his client had already been punished when he was fined Dh100,000 by the UAE Football Association.
The case was adjourned until March 23.
hdajani@thenational.ae