Kotoko risk demotion by Fifa over Esperance debt

Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko have been instructed by Fifa to cough up $225,000 in compensation to Tunisian side Esperance FC within 30 days or face demotion.

The amount represents an initial $180,000 breach of contract fine in 2015 plus default interest of five percent per annum, totaling $45,000.

Kotoko became jointly and severally liable for the payment of the fine by the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber slapped on Emmanuel Clottey after being found guilty of signing the striker when he already had a contract with the Tunisian giants. Esperance had signed Clottey from Berekum Chelsea for $1.5 million in 2012.

Kotoko, in demonstrating their innocence, immediately released the player but failed to meet the deadline to file an appeal against the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber decision.

Not just that, for five years now, neither the player nor Kotoko have settled the debt – $180,000 which was payable within 30 days of the decision.

A Fifa letter dated March 13, 2020, notified the Ghana Football Association (GFA) that in accordance with Article 53, disciplinary proceedings was being opened against Emmanuel Clottey for failing ‘to respect a decision passed by a body, a committee or an instance of Fifa or a Cas decision.’

In a latest ruling, Asante Kotoko have also been ordered to pay $15,000 as fee to the member of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee who was assigned to sit on the case. This is in addition to the $45,000 default interest on the unpaid $180,000 compensation decision by the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber.

The record Ghanaian champions are now liable to make full payment in the amount of $240,000 by May 10, 2020 or face demotion from the Ghana Premier League.