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JOHANNESBURG. — South African Premiership football giants Kaizer Chiefs and Zimbabwe’s Chicken Inn have resolved their dispute over the transfer of defender Teenage Hadebe to Yeni Malatyaspor in 2019, according to reports.

According to a report in Far Post, Chicken Inn’s secretary-general, Tavengwa Hara, said the club was fully paid the money that was due to them by Chiefs.

“I can confirm that Kaizer Chiefs have fulfilled their side of the bargain. The delays were by the Turkey club. We paid each other through FIFA, so the matter is resolved,” Hara said. A report from Zimbabwean publication, Sunday News, reported that FIFA had ordered Chiefs to pay Chicken Inn R370 000 plus interest as part of their agreement for Hadebe’s sell-on fee.

In 2019, Hadebe left Chiefs to join Malatyaspor, ending his two-year spell with Amakhosi having joined from Zimbabwean side Chicken Inn in 2017.

But there had been contrasting reports on his transfer to Turkey. Some said he moved as a free agent, while others said Chiefs sold him.

So with Chicken Inn suspecting foul play after not receiving the money Chiefs were supposed to pay them, they wrote to FIFA.

In the letter that was seen by the Sunday News from FIFA’s Players’ Status Chamber, the governing body partially accepted Chicken Inn’s complaint.

“The claim of the claimant, Chicken Inn FC, is partially accepted,” FIFA’s tribunal chief legal and compliance officer Emilio Garcia Silvero wrote in the ruling.

“The Respondent, Kaizer Chiefs Football club, has to pay to the claimant, the following amount(s): US$13 654.11 (R234 625.95) as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest per annum as from 7 July 2021 until the date of effective payment; US$7 724.64 (R132 736.66) as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest per annum as from 16 January 2022 until the date of effective payment.

“Full payment (including all applicable interest) shall be made to the bank account indicated in the enclosed Bank Account Registration Form.”

If Chiefs failed to make the payment as stipulated, they were facing a three-term transfer ban.

“The respondent shall be banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, up until the due amount is paid,” the statement read.

But Chiefs had denied the allegations, stressing that they fulfilled all the required obligations during the sale of Hadebe to Matyalaspor for an undisclosed fee.

“Kaizer Chiefs note the reports that are making rounds relating to the transfer of Teenage Hadebe,” the club wrote on their social media platforms this week.

“Some news reports say: ‘Initially, indications are that Hadebe joined the Turkey club as a free agent.’ However, it was unearthed that the Arthur Zwane coached-side indeed sold him, albeit for an undisclosed fee.

“The club would like to categorically dismiss the reports as flawed and misleading.”

Three seasons ago, Chiefs were handed a two window transfer ban by FIFA after failing to remunerate Fosa Juniors for the transfer of Arohasina Andrianarimanana to the club.

Their failure to buy players that season meant that Chiefs had to give their academy players game time, resulting in them finishing eighth on the Premiership standings. — IOL Sport.