THE FEDERATION Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) early this year, passed a decision in the case involving Capital Sports club and German second division side, Spielvereinigung Blankenese over Alex Amoako.

In a letter signed by Mr. Paolo Lombardi, Deputy Head of FIFA Players’ Status Committee and forwarded to the Accra- based Capital Sports club on its training compensation claim related to the transfer of their player Alex Amoako, FIFA rejected the club’s submissions.

The Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) at its meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 12, 2007 had rejected the claim by Capital Sports against the German club through a panel which included Tunisian Slim Aloulou , Chairman of the Committee; Mr. Philippe Piat of France, Mr. Rinado Martorelli of Brazil, Mr. Jean Marie Philips from Belgium, and Mr. Mohammed Mecherara of Algeria, all members.

The following facts in the case were cited; that on May 1 2001, Alex had an employment contract that was valid until 30 April 2004, and on September 15, 2002 both teams concluded a loan agreement which covered a year to November 12, 2003 after which the contract was extended until June 2004.

FIFA admitted that no document, detailing the terms under which the Germans accepted the offer of the Ghanaian club, was submitted to them.

After Alex Amoako’s contract had expired, Capital Sports requested that the International Transfer Registration Certificate (ITC) should be issued by the German FA but it was not until October 4, 2004 that it was erroneously issued, bearing the name of Robert Amoako to the surprise of Capital Sports.

On February 21, 2005, Ghana FA explained to FIFA that it requested without success, from the German FA on October 21 2004 and on 16 and 29 December the same year, an ITC bearing the name of Alex Amoako.

The Ghana FA emphasized that the mentioned player did not return to Ghana after the expiry of the loan agreement on June 2004.

On February 25, 2005, when the German FA issued an ITC bearing the name of Alex Amoako in response to the Ghana FA, it indicated that Wilhelmsburg Turkgucu was the last club of the concerned player.

Capital Sports on April 28, 2005, explained that it received the ITC issued on February 25 only on 18 April the same year. It said the club never had a contract with the new club and that the player is still in Germany and has never returned to Ghana.

Capital Sports lodged a formal claim concerning the training compensation for the player on November 15, 2005 while on December 8, 2005, the German FA and their club confirmed that the player never signed an employment contract.

Furthermore, the German FA added that the player Alex Amoako had been registered as an amateur with the other German club, Wilhelmsburg Turkgucu.

The panel concluded that since Alex Amoako never signed an employment contract with his former club Spielvereinigung Blankenese, he is still an amateur in his new club Wilhelmsburg Turkgucu and thus the German club could not be compelled to pay training compensation to Capital Sports unless the player signs a non-amateur contract.