FIFA hands Zamalek ultimatum to pay Acheampong $1 million fine
Zurich, Switzerland (PANA0 - FIFA has on Thursday ordered Zamalek football of Egypt to pay US$1 million within 30 days to their former Ghanaian striker, Benjamin Acheampong, in compliance with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruling in December.
The 30-year-old has claimed unpaid dues after the termination of his contract in 2018 and won the case against the Cairo giants.
The White Knights appealed against CAS’ verdict, but the FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has informed Zamalek of their obligation to pay, according to Acheampong's lawyer.
"In case Zamalek refuses to pay the fine, there will be other sanctions like a ban on transfers, point deductions or a relegation to lower divisions," Acheampong's lawyer told newsmen.
Ghanaian sports website, ghanasoccernet, published some excerpts of a letter it claimed the FIFA's Disciplinary Department addressed to Zamalek on Thursday,
"Upon expiry of the aforementioned final deadline and in the event of persistent default or failure to comply in full with the decision within the period stipulated, a transfer ban will be pronounced until the complete amount due is paid or the non-financial decision is complied with.
"The transfer ban will be implemented automatically at national and international level by the Egyptian Football Association and FIFA respectively, without a further formal decision having to be taken nor any order to be issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee or its secretariat.
"In addition, a deduction of points or relegation to a lower division may also be ordered in addition to a transfer ban in the event of persistent failure, repeated offences or serious infringements or if no full transfer could be imposed or served for any reason."
Acheampong joined the Egyptian Premier League in August 2016 through El-Dakhleya, where he played 32 matches, scoring 10 goals.
He moved to Zamalek in summer 2017 but could not breakthrough the starting lineup as Congolese striker Kabongo Kasongo settled in.
Acheampong participated in only six matches with the Whites, scoring two goals in his six months at the club, before transferring to Petrojet in a short loan deal where he failed to score any goals in 10 matches.
After Zamalek terminated the Ghanaian’s contract by the end of the 2017-2018 season, he filed a complaint against the Cairo giants to CAS regarding delayed dues.
-0- PANA VAO 9April2021
