Soccer-Hearts to pay Voradep 5,250 dollars 

Accra, (Greater Accra Region) 17^th November ' 99

Accra Hearts of Oak have been ordered by the Gbadegbe Commission to pay Voradep Football club, 5,250 dollars in respect of Robert Sabah's 50,000 dollars transfer fee to Saudi Arabia in 1996.

The order followed a complaint by Mr. Gabriel Amematepkor Assistant Secretary of Voradep at the Commission probing the international transfer of players on Wednesday in Accra that his club was entitled to 15 per cent of the transfer fee.

Mr. Ernest Thompson, Board Secretary of Hearts disputed Mr. Amematepkor's claim, saying the agreement between the two clubs before Sabah left Voradep for Hearts at the beginning of the 1993 league season did not state that.

He said according to the agreement, Voradep were to receive 30 per cent if Sabah was transferred in the 1993 league season, 20 per cent in 1994 and 15 per cent in 1995.

He said Sabah was transferred in 1996 to a Saudi Club, so Voradep could not demand the 15 per cent", Mr. Amematepkor is demanding.

The Commission said since the agreement also stated 12 calendar months as a year and not only the football league season, by calculating the 36 calendar months from the time Sabah joined Hearts, Voradep were right to demand the 15 per cent.

Mr. Thompson, who still maintained Voradep were not entitled to anything, was asked by the Commission to go out and work out the calendar months within which Sabah was transferred with Mr. Amematepkor.

When Mr. Thompson returned, he agreed with the Commission but made reference to Article 31 of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) regulations which states that if a club does not make a claim within 12 months after the player is transferred, such a claim becomes null and void.

The Commission did not accept this and asked Hearts to pay 5,250 dollars being 15 per cent of the net sum of 35,000 dollars Hearts received from the transfer.

Hearts also agreed to pay Powerlines Colts Club, 3,000 dollars in installments in respect of goalkeeper Sammy Adjei, 4,000 dollars to Sony Halifax Colts Club for Sam Johnson's transfer and 4,000 dollars to Ken Harrison Babies for Christian Sabah's transfer.

Alhaji M. N. D. Jawula, Chairman of the GFA told the Commission that 16 players have been transferred so far this the year.

He said the GFA is doing everything possible to correct the past mistakes involving player transfers and abides strictly to FIFA regulations.

Alhaji Jawula said he could not provide copies of the contracts of the players who have been transferred and their International Transfer Certificates (ITC's) because they were with Mr. W. K. Agra, General Secretary of the GFA, who is in New Zealand with the Black Starlets.

He said for the documents not to be tampered again with in the main registry Mr. Agra has been asked to bring them when he is coming back.

GRi.