Betway Premiership side Richards Bay FC has been instructed to pay former player Abdi Banda monies owed to him or face a transfer ban.
Banda, who spent the previous season with the KwaZulu-Natal side before returning to Motsepe Foundation Championship club Baroka FC, is owed significant sums of money.
The defender’s time at the club was marred by limited playing opportunities despite joining with hope hopes. He managed to feature in only eight matches across all competitions.
The circumstances surrounding his departure from Richards Bay were reportedly acrimonious, with the non-payment of wages being a major factor.
WHY RICHARDS BAY COULD FACE A POSSIBLE TRANSFER BAN FROM FIFA?
FARPost has established that the Tanzanian international defender took the club to the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber for a breach of contract. This publication has further seen the ruling regarding the matter, which was handed down on Thursday, 21 November.
The amount Banda is allegedly owed is in the region of between R500 000 to R 800 000. The club has been given 45 days to make the payment to the 29-year-old.
“The respondent shall be banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, up until the due amount is paid. The maximum duration of the ban shall be up to three entire and consecutive periods,” said FIFA in the ruling.
“The consequences shall only be enforced at the request of the claimant in accordance with art, 24 par, 7 and 8 art, 25 regulations on the status and transfer of players.”
Banda had a similar case with Chippa United in 2023, which led to the club being banned from registering players by FIFA. The ban came after the club prematurely terminated his contract after he had joined a season earlier.
Chippa 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 in January this year.
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