Gor Mahia to pay former staff Sh6 million to settle Fifa case
Gor Mahia have agreed to pay Sh6 million to its former players so as to end a protracted legal tussle at Fifa.
The Kenyan Premier League club’s Chief Executive Sam Ochola confirmed the move.
He explained these payments will enable football’s world governing body to lift a transfer ban imposed on the first team and allow the technical bench to bring in new players in January.
Ochola says the club is already engaging the players and Fifa on how to end the stalemate.
“We have to be in the transfer market in 2023 and that means we first have to settle our former players. The club is working on that,” said Ocholla.
Among the former staff that dragged the club to Fifa over pay disputes stretching back five years are coach Steven Polack, Tanzanian winger Dickson Ambudo and Ugandan defender Shafiq Batambuze.
Others are Ghanaian midfielder Steven Owusu, Congolese forward Sando Sando Yangayay, and Malian Goalkeeper Adama Keita.
“That said, we are also looking at a transfer policy and will have to dismantle the cartels who bring underperforming players to the club and quote a higher transfer fee for their own benefit. Most of the foreign players who took us to Fifa were not even part of the first team last season,” added Ocholla.
Ocholla’s sentiments come a few days after the club unveiled a three-year sponsorship deal with gaming firm SportPesa valued at Sh240 million.
Proceeds from this deal will aid the club pay its players and staff on time and prepare for the new league season whose kick-off dates remain uncertain.
“We recently made changes in the technical bench. There is no room for those who have been duping the club into signing foreigners, some who don’t have any quality of being a professional footballer. The money we are going to pay Fifa is huge because of their actions.”
The football administrator also urged the current squad which mostly comprises of youthful players promoted from the academy to work hard and restore the lost glory.
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