Fam asks Wanderers to prove claims on Babatunde
Mighty Wanderers have hit a blank wall in their attempts to get a transfer fee for lanky striker Babatunde Adepoju who has signed for bitter rivals Nyasa Big Bullets.
The People’s Team announced on Facebook last week that Babatunde had signed a three-year deal as a free agent after Wanderers failed to renew his contract.
Also posting on his Facebook page, Babatunde said he had a 30-month contract with the Nomads which ended on June 3 2021.
“Wanderers didn’t renew my contract after it expired, hence finding a new club. So, today I am happy to tell you that I am a Bullets player,” he wrote.
In response, Wanderers wrote Football Association of Malawi (Fam) claiming that the Nigerian had a running contract at Lali Lubani Road.
Fam has also responded by advising the Nomads to prove that Babatunde has indeed signed for Bullets.
In a letter dated July 5 2021 and signed by Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda, the association states that it was also on record that Babatunde’s Wanderers contract expired on July 3 2021.
“With regard to the registration of the player with Nyasa Big Bullets, please note that no application(s) to either Sulom or Fam has been submitted. On whether your team is entitled to receiving a full fee for the player, kindly provide us with a copy of a transfer offer your club made to Nyasa Big Bullets on the same.
“Further kindly provide us with a copy of an employment contract between the football player and Nyasa Big Bullets or any evidence to show that the player has indeed signed for the new club,” the letter reads.
It refers Wanderers to Fam’s February 10 2021 letter on Covid Football Regulatory Issues, Expiring Agreements and New Agreements.
“We did provide direction on contractual agreements affected by Covid and re-affirmed our position in the interest of protecting contracts for both players and clubs in which we advised that contracts expiring at the original end date of the season (in this case 31st December 2020) be extended until the new end date of the season (30th June 2021) but upon collective agreements signed between both player and club,” the letter states.
Wanderers General Secretary Fadwickie Matemba asked for more time to comment on the matter.
“I am busy right now. Let me come back to you once I am done with what I am doing,” Matemba said.
Football analyst George Kaudza-Masina commended Fam for following proper procedures on the matter.
“I would like to commend Fam for the manner in which it is handling this matter. This should be the way we must run our football. I am sure that all parties will be treated fairly in this matter,” Kaudza-Masina said.
