Kaizer Chiefs dismiss reports of improper dealings with Chicken Inn over Hadebe’s transfer to Turkey

• Chiefs said they did nothing wrong in relation to Hadebe’s transfer
• Amakhosi claimed to have fulfilled the obligations of the move
• Chiefs were reported to be facing a Fifa ban for not paying Chicken Inn

WHAT HAPPENED? Chiefs were reported to be facing a second Fifa ban is as many years following claims that they failed to pay Zimbabwean side Chicken Inn what was due to them when Hadebe left Amakhosi for Turkey four years ago.

Chicken Inn, who sold the player to Amakhosi in 2017, claimed they did not receive anything from Hadebe’s transfer to Malatyaspor when there was a sale-on clause entitling them to a certain percentage and reported Chiefs to Fifa in an effort to get what they were owed.

The world football governing body is reported to have responded by ordering the Glamour Boys to pay up of face a three-year transfer ban. However, the Soweto giants have now dismissed the reports as ‘flawed and misleading.’

WHAT DID FIFA SAY? “The claim of the Claimant, Chicken Inn FC, is partially accepted,” read a decision by the Fifa Players’ Status Chamber as per The Sunday News.

“The Respondent, Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, has to pay to the Claimant, the following amount(s): USD 13,654.11 as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest per annum as from July 7, 2021 until the date of effective payment; USD 7,724.64 as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest per annum as from January 16, 2022 until the date of effective payment.

“Full payment (including all applicable interest) shall be made to the bank account indicated in the enclosed Bank Account Registration Form.

“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 and consecutive registration periods.”

WHAT HAVE CHIEFS SAID? “Some news reports say: ‘Initially, indications are that Hadebe joined the Turkey club as a free agent. However, it was unearthed that the Arthur Zwane coached-side indeed sold him, albeit for an undisclosed fee’,” the club said via a statement.

“The club would like to categorically dismiss the reports as flawed and misleading. Kaizer Chiefs have fulfilled all the obligations in the transfer of Hadebe.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chiefs’ response adds confusion to the issue but what is certain is that Amakhosi cannot afford another transfer ban when they have just started a rebuilding process.

The club was forbidden from signing players for two windows in 2020 over the illegal transfer of Andriamirado Andrianarimanana in 2018.

Arthur Zwane’s side are currently struggling in the PSL where they find themselves in sixth place, 22 points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, and have been busy in the market in search of players to improve their project.

WHAT’S NEXT? It will be interesting to the see how the matter develops as both sides claim to be right.