French swim coach Philippe Lucas has threatened to sue the Tunisian Swimming Federation over unpaid coaching contracts for world champion freestyler Ahmed Jaouadi.
In a press release from the Tunisian Swimming Federation (FTN), the organization claims that it paid 290,000 Tunisian Dinars* (TND) to Jaouadi. *Dinars are the currency of Tunisia; 1 Dinar is equal to 0.34 US dollars.
According to webdo.tn, the FTN reportedly paid Jaouadi 185,000 dinars for preparation, and another 105,000 dinars for supervision (which includes logistics and coaching)
As for the coach’s salary, FTN reportedly said Lucas was allocated 50,000 dinars, with more money yet to come.
“Luca was to receive a salary in accordance with the terms of the contract between the two parties,” the FTN said in a press release. “However, the athlete breached his contractual obligations and failed to pay the coach, despite the availability of funds and the transfer of the salary to his account.”
Jaouadi took the matter to social media in a series of Instagram Stories.
In one of his Instagram stories, Jaouadi disproves the amounts that he was paid, noting that the amount that he received did not exceed 67,542 dinars as the first installment for his 2025 preparations, and 105,000 dinars as the first installment of the budget allocated to him.
He continued by stating that the total amount he was transferred was 49,552 euros. Saying that only covers a part of the expenses for 2025, which, according to Jaouadi, are estimated to be around 80,000+ euros.
The statement also notes that Jaouadi does not have a secondary source of income and relies primarily on financial awards from international competitions, participation bonuses, and sponsors.
He later made another statement on his Instagram story, saying the 49,000 euros were intended for the coach. “The Tunisian Swimming Federation itself acknowledges that it still owes amounts related to the execution of the contract between it and coach Philippe Lucas, which makes its statement an attempt to shift responsibility outside of its legal and contractual framework,” he said.
Jaouadi is coming off a breakout summer that saw him bring home a pair of distance freestyle golds in Singapore at the World Aquatics Championships, including the 800 free textile world record in 7:36.88. His performance also earned him the First Class of the Tunisian National Order of Merit in Sports
Lucas has coached Jaouadi since 2023, when Jaouadi joined Lucas’s training group in France.
That long haired French Wizard knows how to build an engine, pay the man!
Gold chains don’t buy themselves!
swimmers don’t coach themselves
12k workouts don’t plan themselves
Cut your hair and lose those gaudy chains. Then we’ll talk.
It’s both rude and fallacious to attack his appearance while dismissing him. Do better.
Sit down Karen.