Gunners, lying at the wrong end of the Premier League table, have been given 45-days to settle P400,000 owed to defender, Desire Bafana. The matter emanating from 2021, was escalated to the world mother body, FIFA after the club failed to keep up with the player’s payments. On February 20 this year, FIFA ordered Gunners to pay Bafana P400,000, failing which there will be harsh consequences. In a document seen by Mmegi Sport, FIFA wrote to Gunners indicating that full payment must be made within 45 days from February 20, 2023. If the debt is not settled, the club will be banned from registering new players for three consecutive transfer windows. “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 of up to three entire or consecutive registration periods,” reads the FIFA letter to Gunners, which was also copied to the Botswana Football Association (BFA).
“The present matter shall be submitted, upon request, to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the event that full payment (including applicable interest) is still not made by the end of the three entire or consecutive registration periods,” FIFA said. Further, it is said that consequences shall only be enforced at the request of the claimant (Bafana) in accordance with the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo confirmed receipt of the letter from FIFA while Gunners vice-president, Bonno Ngwamotsoko said the club was still discussing the matter. "We haven’t received any communication from the BFA regarding the matter we received from FIFA only and we are still engaging both the player and our legal representative," he said. “As the committee, we don’t know much on the matter. We are still trying to get facts right,” Ngwamotsoko added.
Meanwhile, dark clouds are also gathering for Gunners’ long term rivals, Rollers, who were rocked by news that president and chief financier, Jagdish Shah will quit the club in May. The club released a statement yesterday afternoon that Shah had indicated that he will leave the popular side, but talks, presumably to convince him to stay, are ongoing. “Township Rollers Football Club would like to notify its members, supporters and stakeholders that the club has received a resignation letter from the Club President and financier, Mr Jagdish Shah to part ways with the club by May 31, 2023,” the club’s public relations officer, Bafana Pheto said in a statement. “The club board and executive committee are engaging with Mr Shah on the matter. We thus request our supporters and stakeholders to remain calm as we engage internally on the matter and pursue all options available,” added Pheto.
Shah has been Rollers' driving force in recent seasons, a period in which Popa dominated the domestic competitions.
