EVARINE KATONGO IN BREACH OF ZISD CONTRACT AND TURNS DOWN USA MOVE IN FAVOUR OF AN ILLEGAL MOVE TO GREEN BUFFALOES – AUGUSTINE MUKOKA

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EVARINE KATONGO IN BREACH OF ZISD CONTRACT AND TURNS DOWN USA MOVE IN FAVOUR OF AN ILLEGAL MOVE TO GREEN BUFFALOES – AUGUSTINE MUKOKA.

Copper Queens star midfielder Evarine Suzeni Katongo has absconded from club duty for more than one month and missed five league games potentially triggering a breach of contract.

The player has been named in the Zambia women’s national soccer team expected to leave for an international friendly against Colombia this week.

According to FAZ records, Evarine is a ZISD player but has since returning from the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and COSAFA Women’s senior national team tournaments made attempts to switch to Green Buffaloes without the consent of her employers.

The available information indicates there are attempts by known individuals influencing Evarine to abort her contract with ZISD so she could join Buffaloes whom she recently trained with for two days prompting a public complaint from her club. This was before the soldier’s outing to Morocco for the inaugural CAF Club championship.

Evarine recently won the PUSH Woman Footballer of the Year Award.

In the ensuing confusion of Evarine pursuing an unorthodox move to Buffaloes, her childhood club, Luyando FC which is based in Lusaka’s John Laing area, emerged to claim ownership with the matter prompting the attention of the FAZ secretariat who determined she is contracted to ZISD up to 2024 and was duly registered with the club as evidenced by the FIFA player status database.

When contacted on October 27, 2022, Evarine claimed she did not have a contract with ZISD.

“I want to change the club, now my current club doesn’t want to release me,” she said.

Asked why ZISD did not want to release her, she responded; “I don’t know.”

Katongo confirmed she wanted to join Buffaloes because she had been promised a job and an opportunity to go to school if she so wished.

Asked about her contractual status with ZISD, Evarine said, “I don’t have any contract with them.”

Prodded further if she never signed any contract with ZISD, the player said, “I don’t know how I can explain this but it is something complicated.”

When asked to explain the complication, she responded; “the same issue about the contract…” before requesting to be excused and promised to return the call. She’s yet to return the call over 10 days later.
ZISD club secretary Elijah Lungu expressed surprise that Evarine is denying her contract when the matter is not in dispute.

Lungu said, “Evarine Suzeni Katongo has a professional contract with the Zambian Institute for Sustainable Development (ZISD) Women Football Club valid until 2024.

“ZISD has met and exceeded all its contractual obligations with Evarine Katongo.”

Lungu confirmed that Evarine had stayed out of club duty since May 2022 but efforts are being made to ensure she honoured her obligation.

“We have gone further to extend multiple olive branches for her to return to play for our team,” he said.

Lungu says it was disappointing that instead of Evarine reporting back to the team, she had embarked on a campaign to discredit the club.

“The player is acting in bad faith by making multiple false claims which can either be deemed fraudulent or inducing a breach of contract, contrary to FIFA Regulations on the Status and
Transfer of Players, IV. Maintenance of Contractual Stability between professionals and clubs Articles 13, 16, and 17,” he explained.

But Evarine’s United Kingdom-based agent Chileshe Dalton-Ruark claimed the player had made a decision to terminate the contract although the matter was still under investigation.

“As a player she has every right to make that decision, she doesn’t want the team anymore and as a journalist you should know the football rules.” she said.

When told that Evarine was under contract with ZISD, Chileshe-Ruark responded; “Whatever contract that she is under, ZISD needs to provide the paychecks or payments that they have been giving her her salary and that they pay her on time on a monthly basis.”

Chileshe-Ruark said she understood the rules of football very well because she went to school to become an agent.

Reminded that the call was not about academia, Chileshe retorted; “I am just letting you know because in Zambia they do things differently in terms of these girls, they are being put into contracts which they have no knowledge of and that is not right. So, a player can terminate a contract anytime she wants to. They need to know that. So if Suzeni doesn’t want to go for training, she doesn’t want to be part of the club, they need to know that.”

Chileshe-Ruark said ZISD must prove that they respected every detail of Evarine’s contract.

“If they did not deliver anything that they promised, that contract is null and void. They need to realize that,” she said.

Asked whether Evarine can transfer when the window is closed, Chileshe-Ruark admitted it was not possible but insisted that the player can terminate her contract anytime.

“When Suzeni was singing, as far as I am concerned, she was forced to sign that contract,” she claimed.

Asked where she was as the agent when Evarine was signing the contract under duress, Chileshe-Ruark said; “I am her agent. I know that.”

When told that a contract signed under duress is null and void “ab initio” [from the beginning], Chileshe-Ruark went mute before saying, “you know how it works in Africa so just know that.”

Chileshe-Ruark was advised that the allegation that the player signed the contract under duress was too strong to leave hanging, she responded; “listen, I have nothing else to say. I said what I had to say and I answered [your questions].”

She further admitted it was a serious allegation but wondered why it was of concern in the interview.

Chileshe-Ruark then turned to a third party to whom she provided the summary of the telephone conversation. The unidentified third party with a thick Eastern European accent demanded to know the author’s employer and started yelling claiming that Chileshe-Ruark’s words were being twisted before he hang-up.

Both Luyando Foundation and Evarine’s older brother Evangelist Katongo disputed Chileshe-Ruark’s version that the player was forced to sign the contract by ZISD.

Stephen Chilombo, an official at Luyando Foundation, said they loaned Evarine – at a time a minor – to ZISD for the 2020/21 soccer season after which she was signed on a two year contract with the influence of the family.

“[After] signing of the contract, legally it means she is a ZISD player but according to what was done, I am sure you can make your own conclusion,” he states.

Evarine’s brother, however, said officials at Luyando Foundation were trying to confuse the player’s career.

“Since the day the girl started doing good at ZISD, most of these guys started to disturb the girl both mentally and spiritually than ever before, especially on the side of Luyando.

“The girl is being influenced to forget her track but you know football career is not a long term thing. It’s something that is short,”

Evangelist said Evarine signed a contract with ZISD which was currently running.

Asked who was confusing Evarine, Evangelist said; “it’s Bernard and Stephen Chilombo. There are also other people who have come in. The so-called manager and others.”

Evangelist says from the time Evarine started holding secret meetings with Luyando officials and her agents, she was thrown off track.

Evangelist says the scheme by Luyando officials and her management team was to pull a quick one on ZISD so that Katongo aborted her contract to join Buffaloes and travel with the team to Morocco for the CAF Women’s Club tournament.

“We signed the contract with ZISD because as a family we agreed that the girl goes to school and ZISD promised to do that. Everytime ZISD has attempted to take her to school, the guys from Luyando have come in with their confusion,” he said. “The problem that has stopped the girl from going ahead is bene Bernard holding secret meetings with the girl.”

Evangelist said Katongo was never forced to sign the contract with ZISD.

“I was in the forefront. Bernard took the girl to ZISD without telling the family. After the contract finished, Bernard wanted to sell the girl outside the country without informing the family. So, me after hearing that, I started pushing things.

“I even took Mr. Bernard to court because you know human trafficking; you can’t take someone’s child without the consent of the family,” he said.

Evangelist says Evarine’s family was inclined to sign the player at ZISD because of the element of advancing her academic credential that came with the contract. ZISD proceeded to secure a scholarship for Evarine to study at Florida State University in the USA which the player turned down.

“Even when the Luyandos were signing the release, everyone was there and we agreed that she has been released by the Luyandos,” he said.

When contacted, Evarine’s local manager – Aaron Mubanga – who also doubles as a football blogger declined to comment on the dispute saying FAZ were handling the investigation. Bernard, a coach at Luyando, did not answer the phone when contacted.

Katongo’s Zambia based manager Aaron Mubanga

But Katongo’s brother, Evangelist Katongo, who represented the family disputed claims the contract between the player and ZISD was signed under duress. Instead, Evangelist says Katongo was being mislead by her handlers who include officials from Luyando Foundation.[LONG READ]

COPPER QUEENS STAR IN LIMBO: Evarine Katongo Allegedly Breaches Contract & Skips Competitive Club Action For Five Weeks

Copper Queens star midfielder Evarine Suzeni Katongo has absconded from club duty for more than one month and missed five league games potentially triggering a breach of contract.

The player has been named in the Zambia women’s national soccer team expected to leave for an international friendly against Colombia this week.

According to FAZ records, Evarine is a ZISD player but has since returning from the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and COSAFA Women’s senior national team tournaments made attempts to switch to Green Buffaloes without the consent of her employers.

The available information indicates there are attempts by known individuals influencing Evarine to abort her contract with ZISD so she could join Buffaloes whom she recently trained with for two days prompting a public complaint from her club. This was before the soldier’s outing to Morocco for the inaugural CAF Club championship.

Evarine recently won the PUSH Woman Footballer of the Year Award.

In the ensuing confusion of Evarine pursuing an unorthodox move to Buffaloes, her childhood club, Luyando FC which is based in Lusaka’s John Laing area, emerged to claim ownership with the matter prompting the attention of the FAZ secretariat who determined she is contracted to ZISD up to 2024 and was duly registered with the club as evidenced by the FIFA player status database.

When contacted on October 27, 2022, Evarine claimed she did not have a contract with ZISD.

“I want to change the club, now my current club doesn’t want to release me,” she said.

Asked why ZISD did not want to release her, she responded; “I don’t know.”

Katongo confirmed she wanted to join Buffaloes because she had been promised a job and an opportunity to go to school if she so wished.

Asked about her contractual status with ZISD, Evarine said, “I don’t have any contract with them.”

Prodded further if she never signed any contract with ZISD, the player said, “I don’t know how I can explain this but it is something complicated.”

When asked to explain the complication, she responded; “the same issue about the contract…” before requesting to be excused and promised to return the call. She’s yet to return the call over 10 days later.
ZISD club secretary Elijah Lungu expressed surprise that Evarine is denying her contract when the matter is not in dispute.

Lungu said, “Evarine Suzeni Katongo has a professional contract with the Zambian Institute for Sustainable Development (ZISD) Women Football Club valid until 2024.

“ZISD has met and exceeded all its contractual obligations with Evarine Katongo.”

Lungu confirmed that Evarine had stayed out of club duty since May 2022 but efforts are being made to ensure she honoured her obligation.

“We have gone further to extend multiple olive branches for her to return to play for our team,” he said.

Lungu says it was disappointing that instead of Evarine reporting back to the team, she had embarked on a campaign to discredit the club.

“The player is acting in bad faith by making multiple false claims which can either be deemed fraudulent or inducing a breach of contract, contrary to FIFA Regulations on the Status and
Transfer of Players, IV. Maintenance of Contractual Stability between professionals and clubs Articles 13, 16, and 17,” he explained.

But Evarine’s United Kingdom-based agent Chileshe Dalton-Ruark claimed the player had made a decision to terminate the contract although the matter was still under investigation.

“As a player she has every right to make that decision, she doesn’t want the team anymore and as a journalist you should know the football rules.” she said.

When told that Evarine was under contract with ZISD, Chileshe-Ruark responded; “Whatever contract that she is under, ZISD needs to provide the paychecks or payments that they have been giving her her salary and that they pay her on time on a monthly basis.”

Chileshe-Ruark said she understood the rules of football very well because she went to school to become an agent.

Reminded that the call was not about academia, Chileshe retorted; “I am just letting you know because in Zambia they do things differently in terms of these girls, they are being put into contracts which they have no knowledge of and that is not right. So, a player can terminate a contract anytime she wants to. They need to know that. So if Suzeni doesn’t want to go for training, she doesn’t want to be part of the club, they need to know that.”

Chileshe-Ruark said ZISD must prove that they respected every detail of Evarine’s contract.

“If they did not deliver anything that they promised, that contract is null and void. They need to realize that,” she said.

Asked whether Evarine can transfer when the window is closed, Chileshe-Ruark admitted it was not possible but insisted that the player can terminate her contract anytime.

“When Suzeni was singing, as far as I am concerned, she was forced to sign that contract,” she claimed.

Asked where she was as the agent when Evarine was signing the contract under duress, Chileshe-Ruark said; “I am her agent. I know that.”

When told that a contract signed under duress is null and void “ab initio” [from the beginning], Chileshe-Ruark went mute before saying, “you know how it works in Africa so just know that.”

Chileshe-Ruark was advised that the allegation that the player signed the contract under duress was too strong to leave hanging, she responded; “listen, I have nothing else to say. I said what I had to say and I answered [your questions].”

She further admitted it was a serious allegation but wondered why it was of concern in the interview.

Chileshe-Ruark then turned to a third party to whom she provided the summary of the telephone conversation. The unidentified third party with a thick Eastern European accent demanded to know the author’s employer and started yelling claiming that Chileshe-Ruark’s words were being twisted before he hang-up.

Both Luyando Foundation and Evarine’s older brother Evangelist Katongo disputed Chileshe-Ruark’s version that the player was forced to sign the contract by ZISD.

Stephen Chilombo, an official at Luyando Foundation, said they loaned Evarine – at a time a minor – to ZISD for the 2020/21 soccer season after which she was signed on a two year contract with the influence of the family.

“[After] signing of the contract, legally it means she is a ZISD player but according to what was done, I am sure you can make your own conclusion,” he states.

Evarine’s brother, however, said officials at Luyando Foundation were trying to confuse the player’s career.

“Since the day the girl started doing good at ZISD, most of these guys started to disturb the girl both mentally and spiritually than ever before, especially on the side of Luyando.

“The girl is being influenced to forget her track but you know football career is not a long term thing. It’s something that is short,”

Evangelist said Evarine signed a contract with ZISD which was currently running.

Asked who was confusing Evarine, Evangelist said; “it’s Bernard and Stephen Chilombo. There are also other people who have come in. The so-called manager and others.”

Evangelist says from the time Evarine started holding secret meetings with Luyando officials and her agents, she was thrown off track.

Evangelist says the scheme by Luyando officials and her management team was to pull a quick one on ZISD so that Katongo aborted her contract to join Buffaloes and travel with the team to Morocco for the CAF Women’s Club tournament.

“We signed the contract with ZISD because as a family we agreed that the girl goes to school and ZISD promised to do that. Everytime ZISD has attempted to take her to school, the guys from Luyando have come in with their confusion,” he said. “The problem that has stopped the girl from going ahead is bene Bernard holding secret meetings with the girl.”

Evangelist said Katongo was never forced to sign the contract with ZISD.

“I was in the forefront. Bernard took the girl to ZISD without telling the family. After the contract finished, Bernard wanted to sell the girl outside the country without informing the family. So, me after hearing that, I started pushing things.

“I even took Mr. Bernard to court because you know human trafficking; you can’t take someone’s child without the consent of the family,” he said.

Evangelist says Evarine’s family was inclined to sign the player at ZISD because of the element of advancing her academic credential that came with the contract. ZISD proceeded to secure a scholarship for Evarine to study at Florida State University in the USA which the player turned down.

“Even when the Luyandos were signing the release, everyone was there and we agreed that she has been released by the Luyandos,” he said.

When contacted, Evarine’s local manager – Aaron Mubanga – who also doubles as a football blogger declined to comment on the dispute saying FAZ were handling the investigation. Bernard, a coach at Luyando, did not answer the phone when contacted.

Katongo’s Zambia based manager Aaron Mubanga

But Katongo’s brother, Evangelist Katongo, who represented the family disputed claims the contract between the player and ZISD was signed under duress. Instead, Evangelist says Katongo was being mislead by her handlers who include officials from Luyando Foundation.

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