Jerry Santos makes a kill from failed Albania move

Jerry Santos makes a kill from failed Albania move

By fred maingi

The World Governing soccer body (Fifa) has ordered KF Tirana of Albania to pay Kenya’s and Coastal Union midfielder Jerry Santo $ 35,000 for breach of contract.

  The Albania  club had entered a  two and a half year contract with the Kenyan player but they later changed and cancelled the  deal.The player had snubbed a move to re- join Simba Sports club of Tanzania.By then, the transfer window  in Tanzania had already elapsed

   The Coastal Union midfield kingpin later joined Kenya’s Tusker for half of the 2012 season before signing for the Tanga based outfit.Santo’s case was filed by International Sports Lawyer Felix Majani.
    Fifa’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) has directed the Albania club to pay the claimant within 30 day’s as from the day of notification of   compensation for breach of contract in the amount of $35,000, plus 5 per cent interest yearly as of October 25, 2012 until the date of effective payment.
However, the lawyer feels Santo has a strong case against Tirana and deserves better compensation than $35,000.

  The lawyer observed that he had requested grounds of the full decision in order to see the ratio decided and adopted by Fifa in arriving at the amount.

  He said he might contemplate filing an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. ‘Santos has a strong case.I don’t feel that is the amount which de deserves to be awarded.Upon receiving the grounds of the Fifa’s DRC decision, we might consider filing a case.The amount arrived was just partial and I feel the committee were not guided by CAS law.We are not satisfied” he asserted.

 Another Kenyan player John Njoroge filed a similar case few years ago against Yanga of Tanzania following wrong dismissal.He filed a case with Fifa where the club was directed to compensate him.

  The fate surrounding the two Kenya players to a large extent is a major triumph for players pursuing their rights before Fifa judicial bodies and sports highest court, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

   Former Tanzania’s Simba Sports Club head coach Moses Basena is also  seeking compensation amounting to US $112.3 million from the club.

  Subsequently, the Uganda born tactician is seeking intervention from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on the matter.

  Basena’s two year contract with the club ended mysteriously after being in the helm for seven months .Simba officials cracked the whip after the Mainland champions lost with a solitary goal to their arch rivals Yanga.
    Basena, currently with Uganda Express FC said losing the job was not a matter of life and death but insisted he wanted the club to compensate him

 The Tanzanian club alsofaces legal action if they maintain their stand of terminating Uganda International midfielder Mudde Mussa contract.

  The club is said to have terminated the two years contract which they had agreed with the player.

      The club had earlier terminated contracts of other foreign based players Lino Mosombo, Danny Mrwanda and Kanu Mbiyavanga.

    The Ugandan has however appealed to the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to save their face by intervening in the matter.

  The former Sofapaka FC midfielder signed for the Tanzanian club in June.He  sustained an ankle injury that would lay him off until early November.

    The Ugandan player has however threatened to seek legal action against the Tanzanian club if they fail to rescind their decision. He insisted his contract with the club remains valid and binding.