FIFA warns Black Forest
Sport
Struggling Premier League outfit Black Forest has been asked to pay their former Zimbabwean player Tonderai Nyakuba his outstanding dues or risk facing more stern fines.
The hard tackling defender had reported his contractual dispute with Black Forest to FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chambers (DRC) on September 2018 that his club has failed to adhere to the contract signed. FIFA discovered that on the first of June 2016, both the player and the club agreed a two year contract. Tonderai’s monthly salary was P 5,500.However, it was discovered that just after the expiry of the contract, the player issued a document labeled ‘debt acknowledgement’ to his former club informing them that he is being owed monies in the region of P 32 900.
The player claimed that in January of 2018, the club failed to pay him the agreed monthly salary of P 5.500. Furthermore, the team continued to default on payments from February of this year until the contract lapsed in June. All this outstanding dues amounts to P32,900
When questioned about the claims of the player, the club only stated that it would try to find an amicable solution with the player and could not comment further about the matter in hand, FIFA said.
FIFA also stated that Black Forest failed to advance appropriate reasons on why they could not pay the player. It is why the DRC judge had no torrid time to reject Black Forest’s arguments. “In this regard, the DRC judge considered that the circumstances raised by the respondent cannot be considered a valid reason for non-payment of the monies claimed by the claimant. In other words, the reasons brought forward by the respondent in its defense do not exempt the respondent from its obligation to fulfill its contractual obligations towards the claimant,” part of the FIFA judgment reads.
Furthermore, FIFA observed that Black Forest had delayed a due payment for more than 30 days without a prima facie contractual basis. As Tonderai’s claim is accepted, FIFA has also asked the team to pay the player an interest of 5%p.a on each of the relevant payment as of the day following the day on which payments fell due, until the date of effective payment.
Tonderai Nyakuba becomes the second foreign player to drag a Botswana team before FIFA courts. Gaborone United (GU) early this year had to run helter skelter after Bismarck Appiah took them to FIFA. The team was nearly relegated after failing on numerous accounts to pay him his compensation fee. Black Forest which was founded in a tiny village of Mmankgodi gained automatic promotion to the elite league in 2016.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”