The management of Katsina United have issued a response to reports of a FIFA transfer ban on the team. In a statement released by the club’s media officer, Nasir Gide, the club addressed the inaccuracies and misrepresentations in an article titled “FIFA Bans Katsina United, 20 Other Clubs from Players Registration,” published on July 9, 2024, by Peter Noah KC.
“We write to address the article titled ‘FIFA Bans Katsina United, 20 Other Clubs from Players Registration,’ published on July 9, 2024, by Peter Noah KC. This article contains several inaccuracies and misrepresentations that harm the reputation of our club and its stakeholders,” the statement began.
Gide clarified that Katsina United has not received any official communication from FIFA regarding the ban. “The purported letter was sent to a former member of the previous club management, not to the current management of Katsina United. However, the current management validated the matter by reaching out to the player and promised to settle the issue appropriately.”
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He explained that the issue involving a foreign player from Niger Republic pertains to a previous management team that failed to settle the player’s wages, leading him to seek justice through FIFA. The current management is actively working to resolve any outstanding issues inherited from the previous administration.
Addressing claims about the termination of a player’s contract, Gide stated, “The article mentions that a player, whose identity is undisclosed, was verbally informed about the termination of his contract and offered three months’ pay as compensation. This narrative is misleading and not reflective of the club’s standard procedures, which adhere strictly to contractual and legal requirements. Any contractual decisions are formally communicated in writing and are in full compliance with the regulations set by both FIFA and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).”
Gide also dismissed assertions that key players are leaving the club due to confusion stemming from the supposed ban as baseless and speculative. “Player transfers and contract terminations are standard practices in football and are conducted with transparency and due process at Katsina United.”
In conclusion, Katsina United issued a serious warning to Peter Noah and the publication, stating that they will not hesitate to pursue legal action if false claims and defamatory statements continue. “We expect a retraction of the article and a public apology to be issued promptly. We urge the publication to adhere to journalistic ethics by verifying information before publication and to engage with our communications team for accurate information regarding any news involving Katsina United.”
Findings by the ATHLETICNG show that FIFA have actually sanctioned Katsina United but the club’s management have shown commitment to resolving any inherited issues and maintaining transparent and ethical practices in all their dealings.
