By Kalumiana Kalumiana
FAZ has revealed that it expects to clear the remaining half of the outstanding US$1,252,526 fine to ex-Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic by 2028 which FIFA ruled that Football House must pay for breach of contract with the Croat.
Asanovic spent less than a year as Chipolopolo coach from January 2022 to September of the same year.
FAZ had fought the case on the grounds that Asanovic had allegedly been in breach of contract because he had deserted the Chipolopolo job just after Zambia’s 2023 CHAN qualifier against Mozambique.
FAZ general secretary Machacha Shepande stated yesterday that Football House had so far settled US$520,000 of the payment awarded to Asanovic by FIFA and expects to clear it in 2028.
“We requested a longer repayment period to allow the Association some financial relief and enable us to channel resources to other competing priorities,” Shepande stated
“It is regrettable that funds meant to improve the welfare of football in the country are being channelled to a cost centre that could have been avoided. It is painful that a dispute of US$20,000 ended up attracting a penalty of over one million dollars,” he stated
Shapande disclosed that the money would be deducted from the FIFA grant FAZ receives from Zurich.
He went on to say that Asanovic’s initial claim was approximately US$41,000 before both parties agreed on a US$20,000 settlement to part company by mutual consent.
“One wonders why in 2023 FAZ declined the proposed settlement at the time. Of course, this standoff forced Asanovic to escalate the matter to FIFA. The dispute then attracted FIFA intervention, which ended in a ruling in favour of Asanovic and a US$1,252,526.10 obligation on FAZ. This has affected us badly,” stated Shepande.
