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GENEVA, July 5: Brazil World Cup winner Ronaldo is claiming four million dollars from a Swiss watch manufacturer, a lawyer for the company Montega said here on Thursday.
Montega signed a 5.2m dollar contract with the Inter Milan striker to promote a new line - the R9 watch - with the Brazilian also receiving royalties on sales of the line, three percent of which the player had destined for disadvantaged children.
But Montega stopped paying Ronaldo after an initial payment of 1.2m dollars after he suffered an injured knee which kept his appearances down to a minimum in the Italian league.
Montega’s lawyer Alain Macaluso told Swiss agency ATS: “A clause in the contract specifies that the star must be in good health during this period and promote the R9 watches.”
Ronaldo’s lawyer, Cyrille Piguet, countered: “Last week the Geneva court confirmed on appeal that the Montega company is indebted to my client for the sum of four million dollars.”
Montega for their part are claiming back the 1.2m sum already paid out.
The two warring sides will air their differences at an upcoming session in front of a court of arbitration.
The watch’s name is made up of the ‘R’ in Ronaldo and his position in the team.
TOKYO: Former Brazil international Zico has reached an agreement with the Japan Football Association (JFA) to coach the national team, Kyodo News agency said on Friday.
Zico’s attorney Antonio Simoes da Costa ended negotiations on the four-year-long contract with association representatives in Tokyo on Wednesday, the news agency said in a dispatch from Rio de Janeiro, quoting a Zico aide in Brazil.
“He authorized da Costa to close the deal with the Japanese prior to leaving Tokyo,” on Thursday, Zico’s assistant was quoted by Kyodo as saying.
Zico, 49, who is due in Rio Friday night Japan time, will be flying back to Japan on July 17 to make his official announcement at the association’s headquarters in Tokyo on July 20.
A JFA spokesman declined to confirm the report, saying: “We cannot say anything until July 20th.”—AFP
