Press reports confirmed that the club Zamalek Al-Masry filed a complaint with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) against Gabonese Aaron Popendza, the Romanian Rapid Bucharest striker.
Popendza had moved to Romania’s Rapid Bucharest in a free transfer from American club Cincinnati, despite signing a contract agreement with Zamalek, according to which the Egyptian Football Association received the international card for the Gabonese striker.
Will Zamalek prevail in its legal struggle with Aaron Bubendza?
According to the Romanian “Golazo” network, the Egyptian Federation has not yet sent Bobendza’s international card to the Romanian Football Federation, as the club was notified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) about opening a disciplinary procedure against the player after a complaint from Zamalek, where the matter will be considered. The case is in Zurich.
The report explained that while he was waiting to obtain a work permit from the Romanian authorities, Aaron Popendza learned that a complaint had already been submitted to FIFA by the Egyptian club Zamalek, as the club stated that the player signed with them via email and after that he refused to go to them and arrived in Bucharest.
Rapid has been officially notified by FIFA that there will be a dispute regarding this matter, as the file has already been registered in Zurich, to begin court proceedings.
Zamalek submitted to FIFA an agreement signed by Popendza, and not a contract according to the Romanian network, but the Egyptian club claims that the player’s transfer to the team can be guaranteed and that the player violated the rules because he did not respect that document and signed with another club.
The Egyptian Federation refused to send Bobendza’s international card to its counterpart, the Romanian Football Federation, and FIFA is scheduled to issue a decision to grant the Gabonese player a temporary card in order to register him with the Romanian club and participate with it normally until a decision is issued regarding his dispute with Zamalek.
