FIFA lifts ban on Yanga to recruit players
Yanga president Hersi Said (left), poses for a photo with Zambian striker Lazarous Kambole in 2022. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- According to a statement issued by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Yanga have paid Kambole and are now free to recruit players as per the FIFA’s rules and regulations.
Dar es Salaam. Members and fans of Young Africans (Yanga) have a reason to smile after the world football governing body (FIFA) decided to lift ban on the club to recruit players.
Yanga had been handed an indefinite ban after failing to pay the dues of Zambian striker Lazarous Kambole.
According to a statement issued by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Yanga have paid Kambole and are now free to recruit players as per the FIFA’s rules and regulations.
“Yanga are now free to recruit players for the next Tanzania Mainland Premier League season as well as for the CAF Champions League. They have complied with the rules and regulations,” said Ndimbo in an interview with The Citizen.
Ndimbo urged clubs to follow all regulations set by the world football governing body when deciding to terminate players’ contracts.
“We (TFF) receive orders from FIFA regarding clubs that are banned from recruiting players. As an affiliate body, we follow the orders and take appropriate actions, such as banning the respective club from registering players," Ndimbo insisted.
Background
FIFA’s decision of banning Yanga from recruiting players was not uncommon.
The Jangwani Street giants were previously sanctioned by FIFA for failing to meet financial obligations to their former head coach, Luc Eymael.
The sanction was imposed after Yanga had been ordered to pay coach Eymael $148,000 (Sh346 million) for his unfair dismissal in 2020, but they failed to fulfill their obligations.
In December 2023, Yanga were also embroiled in another payment dispute with their former player, Gael Bigirimana, who took his case to FIFA demanding unpaid wages after the termination of his contract, resulting in the club being handed another ban.
Aside from the ban on signing players, FIFA ordered the Tanzanian football giants to pay Bigirimana’s dues within 45 days after the verdict was reached. The club complied, and the transfer ban was lifted.
Clubs still banned
Two Tanzania Mainland Premier League clubs, Singida Fountain Gate FC and Tabora United, are still serving indefinite bans for violating players’ contract termination clauses.
Also, on the list are FGA Talents and Biashara United from the Championship.
However, the statement did not specify the players who have lodged complaints against their clubs over unpaid dues.
The clubs have failed to make payments to the players whose contracts were terminated against the rules and regulations of the world football governing body.
