Baroka FC defender Abdi Banda has finally opened up on the dispute with Chippa United which led to the club receiving a FIFA ban.
The ‘Chilli Boys’ were slapped with a ban from making transfers by FIFA in November 2023.
This is after they prematurely terminated a contract with the Tanzanian International who had joined a season earlier. The club reportedly failed to pay a settlement agreement in the region of R1.2 million.
But the club later settled the matter with the player and were cleared by the world football governing body in January this year. Banda went on to join Richards Bay FC before his return to the Motsepe Foundation Championship side Baroka.
WHY ABDI BANDA WAS SURPRISED BY THE TERMINATION OF HIS CONTRACT AT THE CHILLI BOYS
“Even I don’t know what happened because it was a good season for me at Chippa,” Banda told FARPost.
“At the end of the season, I went home for the holiday. But I got an email that they had terminated my contract. So I don’t even know what happened. They didn’t tell me what was the reason for terminating my contract.
“Maybe my performance was not good, but they didn’t talk to me or say anything. So, as a player, I accepted their decision and found another team. So I don’t want to talk much about Chippa because I don’t know what happened,” he said.
TANZANIAN INTERNATIONAL EXPLAINS HIS DECISION TO CHALLENGE CHIPPA UNITED BEFORE THEIR BAN
“I challenged them because, by the time they terminated my contract, I still had one year,” he said.
“So I took time to FIFA, and they ended up paying my contract. It was not good because, as a player, you know that one day you will go back to play at Chippa.
“But at the same time, as a player, sometimes it’s not good because even now, I don’t feel good when I go to play against Chippa. It doesn’t feel good.”
The 29-year-old says he has a healthy relationship with his former boss, Chippa Mpengesi, despite the dispute.
“I have a good relationship with Mr Mpengesi, but I don’t know what happened with the management because I am sure it’s not him who terminated my contract,” he added.
“If it was him, he would have given me a call and told me what the plan was, but I just got an email from the management.”
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