January 29, 2009
In today’s The Post Newspapers, it was reported that national team players who featured in Tuesday’s friendly match South Africa have complained after FAZ is believed to have paid each player 1, 300 Rands as opposed to the initial 5,000 Rands as appearance fee.
Below is press release by the Football Association of Zambia….
FALSE REPORTING – THE POST SPORTS LEAD STORY 29 JANUARY 2009
It is wrong and highly misleading to incorrectly report that the Football Association of Zambia received match appearance fees for the training match between South Africa and Zambia played Tuesday night 27 January in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
We would like to correctly and accurately inform the Zambian football family and public as a whole that there were no match appearance fees for this training game as erroneously reported by The Post newspaper’s lead sports story headlined TWICE BEATEN – Losing Chipolopolo complain over ‘underpayment’ for SA outing.
This understanding is clear between the Football Association of Zambia and the South African Football Association (SAFA).
The report was also wide off the mark in incorrectly suggesting that our players were underpaid. Matters of player air-ticket and fuel payments for South African based players as well as allowances for the team were done in accordance with the budget and finances available to the management team and FAZ. There was no dispute whatsoever.
The false report is not only regrettable but one which we demand be retracted and the correct and accurate information published.
The Football Association of Zambia wishes to reiterate its commitment to the timely dissemination of information to all stakeholders involved in the game; most importantly the media who form a great partnership with us in our work to take Zambian football forward.
We are saddened that despite giving the authors of the report (Kalumiana Kalumiana and Namatama Mundia) correct and accurate information both in Pretoria and at the Lusaka International Airport advising them appropriately and accurately that there were no match appearance fees and as such no match appearance report, they went ahead to report falsely and mislead the public.
The Zambia National Team will not be distracted by this false reporting, will not be distracted but continue to prepare for both the CHAN Championship Ivory Coast 2009 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.
George M. Kasengele
GENERAL SECRETARY
23 Comments on "FAZ refutes media reports that Chipolopolo Boys were under-paid"
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Uncle Bobs on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 7:48 PM
At least i had first hand information from Marko Sakala who said they was no prior agreement between FAZ and the players for the higher amount to be paid to them.
Jaggari on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 8:26 PM
The Post reporters here didn’t dig deep enough and Kasengele incrimates himself when calls Tuesday’s international a “training game.” Training games are played behind doors with no paying public, no national anthems and no media coverage. FIFA.com has the result listed on its web site and note it as a “friendly.” Isn’t that why all those SA-based players were roped in, to Renard’s chagring, coz it was supposed to be a high-profile friendly that Zambia couldn’t afford to lose? From what’ve read, this game was on radio and TV, correct? That means somebody got paid broadcasting rights. It also means that there was sponsorship money; gate-takings, etc. Your administrators told the players that it was a training game and hence no fees would be due to them. Baloney. FAZ or someone in FAZ got probably upward $20G – $40G for this game. Such blatant lies by Kasengele. Too funne!
CHISUMA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 1:03 AM
GUYS HERE HOW CAN YOU SERIOUSLY START JUMPING TO CONCLUSION OVER AN UNVERIFIED STORY. RUMOUR MONGERING HAS KILLED ZAMBIA AS A NATION. IT IS SAD. YOU WEREN;T EVEN IN ANY MEETING BETWEEN FAZ AND SAFA AND JUMP TO CONCLUSION BASED ON A POST STORY. SHAME. SHAME. HOW SAD.
chimz on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 5:12 AM
is true dat cameroon hs canceled a friendly game againist zambia and instead hs opted 2 play guinea? SHAME!
Vincent Numbwa on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 8:16 AM
There we go again with negative report from good for nothing post. The paper has always had sour grapes with EYES ON THE BALL TEAM, this press freedom that just brings confusion is not disired.
We cant have people peddling lies, holding our country at ransom by insulting who ever opposses their lies in the name of press freedom. Fred M’membe are you perfect?
kakokola on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 8:58 AM
do these guys really know how much pain they’re subjecting us soccer loving zambians? pa zed nimbya waloya.
Big Steve from SA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 9:04 AM
Vincent and Chisuma, Joseph has asked you a simple question “but why is it that there are always rumours?? or is it smoke without fire always??” we cant blame the press for doing there job. In SA we have a couple of papers that report like the post does and you know what, SAFA and PSL are very carefull with the way they handle issues like this. If it was a training match, Kasengele please respond to Jagaris comment above. ets not heap blame on pressen but prove them wrong. Why has Kasengele not mentioned that the gae was changed to a ful friendly. FAZ is crap and continue to show it, lets not shift issues to press men, just do your job and no one wil talk.
Billy on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 9:08 AM
Anything is possible with the current faz people. I have no confidence whatsover in the kalu-led faz. Like Josef said R5 000 is not lots of money for faz to fail to pay players. Always issues, awe mwandini.
Sibs. on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 9:28 AM
Gentlemen this game was initially labelled a training game by Safa.The only changed this hours before the game.Its only the day of the game that Safa changed things.
The other thing i can say is dont know what was the agreement between Safa & Faz after the game was changed to full friendly.Iam sure the majority of us know nothing.Did Faz agree to pay the players even when the knew that the game was a friendly?
I have seen training games in S.A open to the public & media.The S.A players were roped in before the change was effected.
Jaggari what do you mean your Administrators? Are you not Zambian yourself ?
dazz on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 9:43 AM
Cameroon is not playing Zambia . Who wants to play a team that has such a rotten and disorganised association . It is likely our team wont even turn up .
Sceptic on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 9:48 AM
FAZ is useless period!
Vincent Numbwa on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 10:28 AM
Big Steve,the question should have been why are there only negative rumours on FAZ? The other unfortunate thing is that us fans are so much bent on personal issues other than the work that FAZ is doing.
FAZ was elected by a majority of member football clubs so lets give them space to run the affairs of football. I have said this before , it is not good to just condemn without altenatives. people should not end at calling for the Kalu and his team to quit but suggest who they think will do more than what Kalu has done.
Big Steve from SA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 10:50 AM
Vincent, though I agree that a greater mind will always think of a solution when they counter a problem and not limit the mind on the problem itself, you cannot also shy away from identifying and speaking about a problem just because you have not thought up a solution.
Yes it’s always good to have solutions and or alternatives but also, to have these things you firstly need to identify the problem. A lot of fans here have mentioned names e.g. Hanif as having the business acumen and love for the game to be able to integrate the two and have a working FAZ. Not that personally think he was the best person but an example of peoples perspective on solution to the problem.
FAZ under Kalu keep bungling way too many things and have now resorted to defense mode, asking for retractions and apologies, PLEASE KASENGELE GROW UP!! The world is full of watchdogs, you have to do it right or they will bring out your wrongs for all to see. The fact that they are so many issues/wrongs simply shows there is a problem somewhere in FAZ. We can’t sit and wait. The longer the problem exists the bigger it will become. The legendary Kalu and his team have failed. I think Munaile after his stint with Kasunga should not even have been considered for any sort of National Football administration. These guys are failing us and yet we still want to give them time.
Dinamo on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 11:13 AM
The Zambia Daily Mail reports that Mopani Copper Mines have withdrawn their sponsorship to Nkana FC and Mufurila Wanderers.The two clubs joins Roan United who were recently ditched by Luanshya Copper Mines.In the same paper HR has disputed rumours that he has quit the Chipolopolo job.The Frenchman said that he talked to Kalu at length & also disclosed that he has a good working relationship with him(Kalu)
SOKA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 11:18 AM
Yesterday I read that a personnel from SAFA said THERE WAS NO ARRANGEMENT WITH FAZ ABOUT THE ALLEGED R5,000. I wonder where the post got there story from, if FAZ says they told them (the post) the facts of this outing. I think here the Post are up to no good.
They must have used worn our equipment in their quest to dig deeper.
Big Steve from SA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 11:46 AM
The press will always do things like this. They are the press and this happens world over. If you give them something to go on they will blow it out of proprtion so the secret is dont give them anything to go on.
A few rumours on this side:
Davies Phiri (remeber him?) is back at Amazulu
Clifford is not overseas, apparently he has jumped ship to Supersport.
not confirmed yet but somewhat reliable source.
Sibs. on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 12:30 PM
Big Steve i have been wondering what has happened to Clifford cos hes been one of Bidvest best players during the 1st Half of the season.
The are already 7 foreigners at Supersport & the left side of the midfield has alot of competition with players like D.Klante,E.Mpelembe & an 18 year new sensation called M.Zongo from the S.Sport Academy.So Clifford will have his work cut out at S.Sport if he signs.But with hard work he can make it.
Sibs. on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 12:38 PM
Big Steve actually S.Sport has 9 foreigners i forgot to include Nkausu & Chivuta.
Big Steve from SA on Fri, 30th Jan 2009 12:40 PM
I agree Sibs, Elias Pelembe has been a sensation for SSU. Zongo has also been amaizingso far but we are yet to see if he is blessed with consistency. Dain has always for me been one of the best all time south African wingers. He has body size and stature aganist him but he still makes the cut as being amongst the top ten wingers in the PSL. For me that is cliffords real competion for the position. Klate is a scoring midfielder which Clifford has not really been so it will be an interesting battle.