Fam faulted on deal
Nigerian striker Babatunde Adepoju has accused FAM player status committee of employing double standards in its ruling that he should return to Be Forward Wanderers while acknowledging that he has a valid contract with Silver Strikers.
The player’s reaction follows the player status committee’s verdict which also states that Silver should pay K2.5 million compensation.
Silver appealed Football Association of Malawi (FAM) disciplinary committee’s earlier ruling that the Bankers should pay Wanderers K8 million and keep the player after the Bankers cancelled the deal at the eleventh hour.
In the appeal, Silver listed several grounds which touched on the player transfer process, work permit, medical tests and that the K8 million was paid by mistake.
But the committee dismissed all grounds of appeal except the K8 million compensation meted out by the disciplinary committee, arguing it was on the high side.K8 million compensation meted
The verdict reads: “The appellant’s appeal partially succeeds on the issue of quantum of compensation. The appellant’s is ordered to pay damages in the sum of K2.5 million to the respondent within 30 days from the date of this ruling.
“If the aforementioned amount is not paid within the above-mentioned time limit, then according to the Article 24 of Fifa Rules the appellant shall be banned from registering any new players either nationally or internationally, up until the due amount is paid.”
Though Babatunde has reverted to being a Wanderers player, the Nigerian is free to take to task Silver on the signed contract, according to the verdict
“Since the respondent is not looking for specific performance of the contract and have taken back Babatunde, the player will remain the respondent’s player. However, Babatunde is free to take up the matter in regard to the signed agreement with the appellant.
“In the event that Babatunde was deregistered as a respondent’s player, FAM and Sulom should allow the respondent to properly register the player regardless of the closure of the registration period,” further reads the verdict.
But the player described the ruling as “not making sense”.
“If the player status committee agrees that I have a valid contract with Silver, why not make a decision that I belong to Silver? Why ask me to go back to Wanderers? I think this is very unfair,” he said.
Asked if he will take the matter up as alluded to in the verdict Babatunde said: “Do they expect me to write them again to complain about breach of contract by Silver? I am tired of all this. I just want to play football since I already have a contract with Wanderers which is about to expire. FAM should have just done the right thing.”
Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda said the Babatunde saga should be a lesson to clubs on transfer deals.
“In my opinion, there are serious problems on how TNM Super League clubs conduct themselves in transfer deals. This should serve as a lesson that rules and regulations should be observed,” he said.
