Dynamos avert FIFA ban on the 11th hour

Veronica Gwaze

Zimpapers Sports Hub

THEY might be going through probably their worst top-flight season in living memory, but a silver lining finally shone on the dark cloud hovering over the Dynamos camp with the ailing Castle Lager Premier Soccer League giants averting FIFA sanctions on the 11th hour.

Dynamos narrowly avoided a FIFA transfer ban by settling outstanding dues to three foreign players — Namibian Sadney Urikhob, Ghanaians Emmanuel Paga and Fredrick Ansah Botchway.

Paga and Botchway had already successfully appealed for FIFA intervention with the world football body’s disciplinary committee ordering Dynamos to pay a combined US$18 500.

Urikhob had sought recourse through ZIFA and was threatening to escalate the matter to FIFA if he found no joy.

He was paid his outstanding US$9 000.

But it was the FIFA, FDC ruling in which DeMbare had been given 45 days to settle, which had a transfer ban looming large on them like a hangman’s noose with the Harare giants just managing to pay on deadline day on Saturday.

The trio of Paga, Botchway and Urikhob has since moved away from Dynamos.

Page joined Manica Diamonds at the start of the 2025 season while Botchway and Urikhob are now on the books of flamboyant Premiership newboys Scottland.

Given the nature of the case, the payments to Paga and Botchway had to be confirmed by all parties to the matter including the FIFA FDC.

Although he was not at liberty to go into the finer details, Dynamos chairman Moses Maunganidze confirmed that they had settled the potentially damaging debt.

“We have cleared the debt and we are glad that we were able to secure the funds in time to avoid the FIFA ban.

“The ban would have put us in jeopardy because like other clubs, we are hoping to bolster our squad in the mid-season and move away from relegation,” Maunganidze said.

In the case of Urikhob, Manwa acknowledged receipt of the Dynamos proof of payment.

“I can confirm that we have seen the proof of payment for Urikhob’s money,” she said.

Just like Yadah Stars and Highlanders before them, Dynamos initially entered into negotiations with the aggrieved players regarding the terms of their financial obligations.

However, once the matter escalated to the corridors of the FIFA Football Dispute Resolution Chambers and a ruling was issued against them, they were mandated to settle the full amounts owed to the complainants within a stipulated time frame.

This ruling underscores FIFA’s authority in enforcing compliance among clubs.

It also ensures that financial disputes are resolved in a manner that upholds the integrity of the sport and protects the rights of players and other stakeholders.

Failure to adhere to the stipulated deadline for payment would have further resulted in Dynamos facing a ban from participating in three consecutive transfer windows.

However, the last-ditch effort by the club management to avert the FIFA ban is also sweet music to the ears of Dynamos coach Saul Chaminuka in his desperate bid to bolster his relegation-threatened side.

The PSL mid-season transfer window opened yesterday and the payment of the funds owed to their former players was a timely boost for Chaminuka.

Dynamos with 15 points from 17 matches are only just above basement side Kwekwe United.

Both Dynamos and Chaminuka are also set to appear before the PSL disciplinary committee on July 8 for leading the abandonment of their match against FC Platinum over a hotly disputed penalty awarded to the hosts at Mandava in Zvishavane.

The match was tied 1-1 at the time of its abandonment but as precedence has shown time and again in the Premiership, Dynamos will now pay heavily for taking matters into their hands with FC Platinum set to be awarded the game on a 3-0 scoreline.

Dynamos have also been beneficiaries of such a PSL determination on a number of occasions, including their game against Highlanders, which ended prematurely at Barbourfields in September 2023.

Both Dynamos and their coach also face a PSL financial penalty if found guilty of misconduct.