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Ingwe could yet be banned from registering new players if they do not clear the huge outstanding payment to their former coach
AFC Leopards are starring at yet another transfer ban if they do not pay over Ksh20 million owed to former coach Patrick Aussems.
Aussems quit Ingwe nearly two weeks ago but he had an ongoing pay dispute with the club since 2021 which he had reported to FIFA.
Leopards were in May 2022 ordered to pay Aussems a $145,000 (Ksh20.6 million) fine over breach of contract with the Belgian tactician and by the time he left, he had not received his dues leaving the club facing further sanctions.
Aussems had sought the intervention of FIFA in 2021 when he sought payment of $25,300 (Sh3.5 million) being signing bonuses, plane tickets and signing-on fee that had accrued between July 31, 2021 and December 28 that year.
The Belgian coach had joined the club in February 2021 at the time when the club was reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and gave them some grace period to settle the matter with the caveat that if they do not honour the commitment, he would be forced to claim all of the money and obtain damages negotiated for the duration of the contract.
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10:30 - 21.07.2023
FOOTBALL: AFC Leopards reveal when they will unveil their new coach
Ingwe have been searching for Patrick Aussems’ successor since the Belgian tactician left two weeks ago and seem to have found their man
In January 2022, Leopards asked for some patience from their coach but he wrote back, asking for $10,000 (Ksh1.4 million) within 10 days and the remaining $15,000 (Ksh2.1 million) by the end of February 2022. Aussems notified CAF and FIFA of this request.
However, in March 2022, FIFA informed Ingwe of a compliant lodged against the club by the Belgian coach and asked them to give their side of the story and on May 18 last year, the world football governing body, through its Football Tribunal, made its verdict over the dispute, handing Ingwe the huge fine.
“The claim of the claimant, Patrick Aussems, is accepted. The respondent, AFC Leopards Sports Club, has to pay $25,000 (Sh3.55 million) as outstanding remuneration and $120,000 (Sh17 million) as compensation for breach of contract. Any further claimants are rejected,” the FIFA Football Tribunal ruled.
Ingwe were given 45 days to settle the dues, failure to which they would be banned from registering new players for three consecutive windows, but by the time Aussems announced his departure on July 10 this year, the amount had not been settled, leaving Ingwe facing another sanction.
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10:30 - 21.07.2023
FKFPL: Frank Ouna's call to stuttering Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards
The coach's comments come as K'Ogalo stare at a possible ban from engaging in continental football.
“It is a matter that we are trying to sort out. We will also communicate its progress on the day we will announce our new coach next week,” Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda told Pulse Sports on Friday.
Leopards faced a similar situation last year when they were slapped with a two-window transfer ban for failure to clear outstanding dues of former player Soter Kayumba and had hoped to strengthen their squad in the current window.
However, the latest development will make matters even more difficult for a club that finished seventh last season, having relied on a number of youngsters, who struggled for consistency.
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