Johnson Progress

In a decisive move that will severely impact the club’s transfer activities, world football governing body FIFA has banned Zimbabwean Premier League side Ngezi Platinum Stars from registering new players.

The sanction, confirmed in an official communication this week, stems from the club’s failure to pay a substantial debt to former coach Bongani Mafu.

The ban, which will be enforced locally by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), immediately rules Ngezi out of the upcoming January transfer window.

According to a letter dated December 17 from FIFA Head of Disciplinary Americo Espallargas, the club is prohibited from registering new recruits for up to three consecutive registration periods.

The restriction will only be lifted once the outstanding debt, which totals nearly US$200,000, is fully settled.

The financial penalty originates from a FIFA ruling that found Ngezi Platinum Stars in breach of Mafu’s contract without just cause.

Football’s global authority ordered the club to pay the coach US$196,750, plus five percent annual interest dating back to 2022.

This decision was subsequently upheld last month by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sport’s highest legal body.

With the mandatory 45-day compliance period now elapsed without payment, FIFA has activated the registration ban.

Legal representatives for the affected coach emphasized that the sanction was a predictable outcome of the club’s inaction.

Ndaba Nyathi of Touchwood Intermediaries, who acts as Mafu’s legal representative, stated that his client’s rights had been persistently disregarded.

He explained that the implementation of the ban was the inevitable consequence of non-compliance with a binding FIFA ruling.

“Our client’s rights cannot be ignored indefinitely,” Nyathi said.

This ruling intensifies the financial and administrative pressure on Ngezi Platinum Stars, who are entangled in another costly dispute with a former coach.

The club is separately contesting a FIFA award of approximately US$570,000 to ex-coach Benjani Mwaruwari for unfair dismissal, a case they have appealed at CAS.

The simultaneous cases highlight significant governance challenges for the club.

FIFA has issued a stern warning to the Zimbabwean side, indicating that a failure to clear the debt owed to Mafu within the stipulated three-registration-period timeframe could trigger even more severe disciplinary measures.

The ban presents a major sporting setback for Ngezi, hindering their ability to strengthen the squad and potentially affecting their competitiveness in domestic and continental fixtures.