AmaZulu are taking Nigerien striker Victorien Adebayor to FIFA as the player has not shown up at the club since he was signed during the off season.
When Usuthu officially unveiled players such as Celimpilo Ngema, Rowan Human, Mlondi Mbanjwa, Victor Letsoalo and Wayde Jooste, Adebayor’s name was also there on their twitter page before the season started.
But, unlike those players, he has not set foot in Mzansi. However, as previously reported by iDiski Times, it was initially expected that it was going to take some time for AmaZulu to see their striker.
The former RSB Berkane striker, who won the CAF Super Cup last season, could not travel to South Africa in August due to a coup in his home country in Niger, which led to the travelling becoming an issue.
It also meant that Adebayor was not able to obtain his visa because of the coup and AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin lamented about that after they started the league slow with two goalless draws.
The coup in Adebayor’s home country started on 26 July and has led to the border and airspace closures that have cut off supplies of medicine and food, hampering humanitarian aid in one of the world’s poorest countries in West Africa.
Niger was hosting US, French, German and Italian troops under agreement made with the now-deposed civilian government.
The 26-year-old, who Martin had huge expectations about, signed a contract with AmaZulu until 2025 which is why they feel they have been duped by the player, who did eventually receive his SA Visa but never turned up.
Usuthu president Sandile Zungu explained that they will take the Nigerian to FIFA because they are not a playing ground for anybody.
“I won’t explain much about Adebayor, but all I can say is we are not happy at all about his behaviour,” said Zungu.
“His matter is going to FIFA. But I won’t explain further where we stand, but it is going to FIFA. We want to make an example that you can do that to other clubs but not with Usuthu.
“AmaZulu is of national interest and if you are fooling around you are tarnishing the reputation of the whole country.
“So we are taking steps towards him because we want to protect the image of the club and also the badge of the club. FIFA, it is where we are going.”
AmaZulua are hard at work as they host Golden Arrows in the Durban Derby in the Carling Knockout quarter finals at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (19:00).
