THE FAZ Appeals Committee has ruled that former Kabwe Warriors midfielder Prince Mumba is free to join a club of his choice as he has no formal contract with Kabwe Warriors.

Making a decision on the appeal by Kabwe Warriors Football Club, who had objected to the transfer of Mumba to Power Dynamos on account of the player having committed to staying at Godfrey ‘Ucar’ Chitalu Stadium, the Appeals Committee said the Appeal from Kabwe Warriors lacked merit as by the basic principles of contract law.

The Appeals Committee upheld the decision of the Disciplinary Committee that had ruled that the player was free to move.

Initially the Player Status Committee had determined that Mumba was not bound to stay at Kabwe Warriors.

“The committee declines to entertain that line of thought because, as was demonstrated before the Player Status Committee and the Disciplinary Committee, no formal contract exists between Prince Mumba and Kabwe Warriors extending the contract,” read the verdict in part.

“The Appellant (Kabwe Warriors) relies on a meeting of which there is claim of an agreement between the Player and the club. However, it’s clear in the evidence remitted by the appellant that the player had requested that his Agent be provided with a contract for the Agent to have signed and formalized. That therein places doubt on the extrinsic evidence for the Appeals committee to arrive to the conclusion that a formal contract existed between the Player and the Club”.

The verdict further reads, “The Appeals committee therefore denies this appeal, as it lacks merit as by the basic principles of contract law, there must be an offer and there must be acceptance. In this case, the offer was made to the player to extend the contract, the player however did not accept by formerly agreeing to it through the signing of the contract. The committee therefore orders that the player should immediately be released in the Fifaconnect to a club of his choice.”

FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga thanked the judicial bodies for being prompt in deciding matters bordering on the careers of players.

“As FAZ, we are happy that there is closure on this matter and urge all parties to respect the decision. However, in case of dissatisfaction, FAZ judicial bodies still offers a window of Appeal at the Arbitration Tribunal,” said Kamanga.

Kamanga also hailed the FAZ Disciplinary Committee for providing ruling to the transfer saga involving Maestro United Zambia Football Club and midfielder Kelvin Mwanza.

The FAZ DC ruled that Mwanza is to return to the club as he had a legally binding contract with the Mazabuka based Super League outfit.