The transfer wrangle involving midfielder Thuso Paipi is refusing to die. In the latest development, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has ordered that the winger should revert to his parent club PremierBet Wizards.
The Bankers have since accused FAM of overstepping its jurisdiction.
“We are greatly appalled by your decision to prevent us from using Mr. Thuso Paipi. What is even more surprising is that [FAM] has acted on a letter which was addressed to the Sulom and merely copied to it [FAM]. We understand that player transfers in Malawi are governed by the Sulom Player Transfer Rules and Regulations. It is our further understanding that the Sulom was the appropriate body to handle the dispute between PremierBet Wizards FC and Silver Strikers FC and that FAM would have jurisdiction over the matter only by way of appeal. As such, FAM had no powers to hijack the matter,” reads part of a letter from Silver signed by their general secretary (GS) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda.
Silver further claim that FAM made the decision to cancel Paipi’s registration without according both Silver and the player the opportunity to be heard, “thereby infringing the rules of natural justice which proclaim that no-one should be condemned unheard.”
However, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the dispute was referred to FAM by the clubs involved.
FAM transfer matching system manager Casper Jangale said Paipi ceased being a Silver player at the expiry of the six-month loan deal on September 30.
“According to the letter which we have, the agreement between Silver and Wizards was a six-month loan which expired on September 30. Wizards complained to Sulom and FAM that Silver are keeping their player after the expiry of the loan deal,” he said.
Wizards owner Peter Mponda complained to FAM that the player is still contracted to them up to 2018.
Wizards signed Paipi from lower league side Black Stars in 2013. The player was loaned to Silver at K500 000 with a condition that he would be recalled at the end of the loan deal. n
