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WHILE Zimbabwean striker Perfect Chikwende is celebrating a major career milestone that sees his earnings rising following a move to Tanzanian football giants Simba SC, back home a storm is brewing with the player’s former team Bulawayo Chiefs demanding compensation from FC Platinum.

The impressive 27-year-old striker signed a two-year deal with Simba SC on Friday. After signing his contract, Chikwende was expected to join his new Simba teammates in Zanzibar where they are currently taking part in the Mapinduzi Cup.

However, Chikwende will have to wait longer before turning out for Simba SC as Bulawayo Chiefs halted the process of having the player getting his international clearance, arguing that FC Platinum should first compensate them since the striker was on-loan at the cash-rich Zimbabwe champions.

His contract with Chiefs was supposed to expire at the end of 2020, but since there was no football in Zimbabwe last year, ZIFA after getting guidance from FIFA and in consultation with football stakeholders said all contracts that were due to lapse last year will now be carried over because it would be unfair to teams.

In a letter dated January 14, 2021 and titled “Tatenda Chikwende” loan agreement, Bulawayo Chiefs wrote: “As you already know, Tatenda Perfect Chikwende was loaned to you at the start of 2020 soccer season. We therefore inform you that, due to the problems caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic, our 2020 loan agreement between FC Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs FC over Tatenda Perfect Chikwende is still binding. Reference: April 2020 FIFA guidelines and a Letter from ZIFA dated 31 December 2020. All our player contracts for 2020 are still valid until all obligations are fulfilled. This follows that no loan transfer fee will be charged to FC Platinum for Tatenda P Chikwende for 2021 Soccer Season.”

FC Platinum ignored the letter, arguing that Chikwende signed a two-year contract with them.

“Chikwende has a two-year contract with FC Platinum. It’s funny that they are raising this loan matter at a time when the player is moving to develop his career. As far as we are concerned, FC Platinum catered for the player’s 2020 salaries and Bulawayo Chiefs were paid their loan fees,” said an FC Platinum official.

However, FC Platinum’s argument could be null and they might have to compromise and engage Bulawayo Chiefs as the football motherbody — ZIFA — told its affiliates in a letter dated December 31, 2020 that contracts which were supposed to expire last year are still functional since the programme was affected by Covid-19.

“The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic caused the delay in the commencement of football league in Zimbabwe. Our football season calendar remains as it is unless any changes to the season are adopted at the ZIFA annual general meeting (ZIFA congress).

“The ZIFA congress is the supreme authority with the power to consider the shifting of or change in the football calendar season. The delay in the commencement of the football season has brought about challenges in respect to employment contracts for the players and clubs.

“Those issues are to do with the following;

(i) Employment contracts which were due to expire at the original end date of the season.

(ii) Loan transfer agreements which are due to expire at the original end date of the season.

(iii) Employment agreements which are due to expire at the mid-season break.

“ZIFA proposes the following guidelines to govern the employment contracts. These guidelines are subject to any other mutual agreement or arrangement that parties might have agreed on. Parties are encouraged, where possible to have a mutual agreement that is beneficial to all parties concerned. The guidelines provided hereunder are meant to provide a general guideline on how the contractual issues are to be governed during the Covid 19 pandemic era.

“(a) Where an agreement is due to expire at the original end date of the season, such expiry be extended until the new end date of the season, or alternatively, in the event that the 2020 season is called off, the end date of the next ensuing season.

“(b) Loan transfer agreements which are due to expire at the original end date of the season are extended until the new end date of the season, or alternatively, in the event that the 2020 season is called off, the end date of the next ensuing season.

“(c) Employment contracts which are due to commence at the mid-season break are extended to expire at the new mid-season break to be set by the governing relevant ZIFA affiliates.

“(d) Where an agreement is due to continue at the original start date of a new season, such commencement be delayed until the new start date of a new season.

“(e) Notwithstanding the aforementioned recommendations, parties are to abide by the contractual obligations in respect to payment of the agreed salaries, and other payments due to the players during the subsistence of the contract.

“The aforementioned guidelines are in line with the general guidelines made by FIFA and are amended so as to suit our season and circumstances,” reads the ZIFA letter. — Panafricanfootball.com