‘Aces owe Chicken Inn nothing’
By Sikhumbuzo Moyo
South African National First Division side Mpumalanga Black Aces have refuted claims they owe Chicken Inn a 30 percent share from the transfer of striker Tendai Ndoro to Orlando Pirates as part of the agreement signed between the two clubs.
Last week Chicken Inn chairman Lifa Ncube revealed that they had approached the Fifa Players’ Status Committee to help them recover their percentage share from Ndoro’s transfer fee in 2015.
It has also emerged that the Bulawayo side was ordered to pay about $14 500 to cover costs for the determination.
When Ndoro moved to Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2013, a clause was inserted in the sale agreement that if the player made a move within five years, the Bulawayo side would get 30 percent of the transfer fee.
“We’ve approached Fifa because we were not getting any joy after going through Safa. We felt we were given a raw deal because when Ndoro moved we were supposed to get a certified copy of his transfer agreement, which never happened. We are now waiting for Fifa to make a ruling,” said Ncube.
Black Aces, through their co-chairmen Mario and George Morfou, issued a statement on the club’s official website denying the claims by Chicken Inn.
“The matter was heard by Fifa with the ruling in favour of Amazayoni, who have been cleared of any wrongdoing by the governing body. A fax sent by Fifa Head of Players Status Maja Kuster Hoffman on 29th of November 2016 states clearly that the claim by Chicken Inn had been rejected by Fifa,” reads the statement.
“The ruling was communicated to both clubs, Safa and Zifa. Chicken Inn was given 10 days to appeal the decision and also ordered to pay the legal costs after losing the case. Chicken Inn were ordered to pay Fifa R200 000 (about $14 500) for the costs of the hearing. According to our knowledge, they never did, meaning they accepted the ruling,” reads the Black Aces statement.
A Fifa spokesperson yesterday corroborated the South African side’s version of events through an emailed response to inquiries from Chronicle Sport.
“We can confirm that the single judge of Players’ Status Committee dealt with a dispute opposing the club Chicken Inn to the club Black Aces in connection with the transfer of the player Ndoro to Orlando Pirates. The relevant decision was notified to the parties on 29 November 2016 and is final and binding. According to the relevant decision, inter alia, the claim of the club Chicken Inn was rejected,” reads the response by Fifa.
Contacted for comment on the latest development yesterday, Chicken Inn chairman Ncube, who is on holiday in Mauritius, said he had not seen the Black Aces statement and referred further questions to club secretary-general Tawengwa Hara, whose phone continuously rang unanswered.The Chronicle
