. MWANZA

BY SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has written to FIFA seeking clarification over the heavy fines slapped on it and three local clubs for breaches relating to the international transfer of players.
FAZ spokesperson Erick Mwanza said at a briefing at Football House in Lusaka that the association was not aware of any wrong doing and was having difficulties understanding the fines.
Mwanza said that FAZ had followed procedure related to players transfer over the eight players who were based in Finland leading up to them serving their respective bans and getting to play football again.
FIFA on Wednesday fined FAZ $56,000 for transferring eight players, who include three professional players and five amateur players, without an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and outside registration periods.
Zanaco has been fined $22,520 for transferring a professional player without an ITC and outside ITMS.
Power and Assembly have each been fined $28,000 for transferring an amateur player without an ITC and outside registration periods, thereby breaching article 4 of Annexe 3a of the Regulations.
“We are not contesting the fine but we just want to be made to understand what the fines are all about.
“We have been in close liaison with FIFA in this whole period and we have followed the procedure. So we have written to FIFA so they can make us understand or maybe they rephrase the letter.
If FIFA says the fines are as result of FAZ allowing the players play before they got cleared, maybe yes but not about the players moving without the ITCs or outside the transfer window. That, no,” he said.
But Mwanza also said that the three players were allowed to play because their initial ban was only restricted to Finland (by the Finnish FA) and once the FIFA extended the ban globally, FAZ stopped the players from playing.