Fifa orders Zambian club to pay Sailesi K95m
Fifa has ordered Zambian Super League outfit Lusaka Dynamos to pay its former Malawian winger Dalitso Sailesi about $128 675 (about K95.2 million) in compensation for breach of contract.
The on-and-off Flames midfielder terminated his contract with the Zambian top-flight league side last year after he had gone a couple of months without being paid, including part of his signing-on fee—just a year into his five-year deal. He returned home and rejoined his former team, Nyasa Big Bullets.
According to the ruling made by the world football governing body’s Dispute Resolution Chamber on October 3 2019, which Weekend Nation has seen, Sailesi’s claim, made through the Southern African Region Players Union head Desmond Maringwa, was admissible.
“The claim of the claimant is partially accepted. The respondent [Lusaka Dynamos] has to pay the claimant outstanding remuneration in the amounts of $14 500 and Zambia K8 000 [about $607] plus interest at a rate of five percent per annum (p.a.)until the date of effective payment.
“The respondent has to [further] pay the claimant compensation for breach [of contract] the amount of $113 568, plus interest at the rate of five percent p.a. as from September 20 2018 until the day of the payment,” reads part of the ruling addressed to Sailesi and Lusaka Dynamos.
The total comes up to about $128 675 (about K95.2 million). However, Sailesi had some of his claims dismissed by the five-member chamber which was chaired by Geoff Thompson.
The ruling further directs Sailesi to provide Dynamos with his relevant bank account details to which the club can deposit the money and provide evidence of the same.
Dynamos have been given 45 day—from the date of the ruling— to process the payment. Failure to honour the payment could lead to sanctions from Fifa.
Player agent and sports marketing consultant Felix Ngamanya Sapao, who brokered Sailesi’s deal with Dynamos, yesterday confirmed taking up the matter with Fifa, through Maringwa.
“You see, I wrote Lusaka Dynamos twice in August last year to try and resolve the issue amicably. I even flew to Lusaka and sought Football Association of Zambia’s [FAZ] intervention. Unfortunately, Dynamos were not cooperative. I then informed them that we would refer the matter to Fifa, which we did in September last year.
“It is only now that Dynamos are asking for Sailesi’s contacts so that they can discuss with him the possibility of handling the issue internally,” he said.
Sailesi yesterday expressed relief with Fifa’s ruling.
“I have waited for so long to have this issue sorted out and I am happy that Fifa has ruled in my favour. I am thankful to Mr. Sapao and all those that were involved in pursuing this case. I also thank God Almighty.
“For now I cannot say much until we discuss the issue further,” he said.
Bullets sold Sailesi to Dynamos for K22.5 million which was a record.
