Silver to appeal Babatunde case

Silver Strikers say they will appeal against FAM’s decision that they should pay Be Forward Wanderers K8 million transfer fee for striker Babatunde Adepoju.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) made the ruling last week, thereby legitimising the Central Bankers as the owners of the lanky Nigerian forward as the order activated the transfer agreement the two Super League sides reached.

Silver agreed to sign Adepoju earlier this month, but pulled out from the deal at the eleventh hour when he had already signed a contract and  a transfer fee cheque had been issued.

The payment was, however, reversed while Wanderers had already deposited the cheque. It  prompted the Nomads to report Silver to FAM, demanding K8 million compensation.

In an interview yesterday, Silver chief executive officer Thoko Chimbali said after consulting their legal team, they are proceeding to appeal against FAM’s ruling.

“We are appealing, that’s our stand,” he said.

Adepoju yesterday said, considering the situation, he cannot comment on the matter.

“As it is, I am in a tight situation that I cannot say anything,” he said.

FAM licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale yesterday said they would wait for Silver’s appeal.

“They are within the three-day time-frame, so all we can do now is wait,” he said.

Meanwhile, FAM also threw out Wanderers’ complaint over how the Central Bankers signed their former midfielder Chikondi Kamanga

Said Jangale: “We established that the player did not have a contract with Wanderers, he only signed a pre-contract.

“However, since the player was getting  upkeep allowances from Wanderers, Silver will have to pay them a [K1.1 million] developmental fee,” he said.