Lecce accuse Al Swehli of encouraging Lameck Banda to break contract

Lecce have taken their dispute with Zambia international Lameck Banda to FIFA, claiming Libyan club Al Swehli encouraged him to leave without a transfer fee despite his contract running until June 2027.

The disagreement began on 13 July, when Banda was expected to fly in for the start of Lecce’s pre-season training but failed to appear. The Serie A club subsequently announced that disciplinary measures would be taken.

Lecce later discovered that Banda was no longer answering calls. Instead, he was updating people about his movements through videos on social media, in which he could be seen training alone.

Banda was then seen with representatives of Al Swehli, who attempted to register the Zambia international this week. The FIGC blocked the move because Banda remains under contract with Lecce.

“It was an objectively necessary measure by the FIGC, because Banda is under contract with Lecce until June 2027,” Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Banda’s friends had told journalists that the player felt betrayed by a clause allowing Lecce to extend his contract by a further season in June 2026. He had believed he would become a free agent this summer.

The player had suggested that Lecce took advantage of the fact he did not speak Italian to persuade him to accept the arrangement. Sticchi Damiani strongly rejected that interpretation.

“That option had existed since his arrival in 2022. We could simply have activated it to extend his contract, but instead, in May, we called him to the club headquarters, together with his former agents, and he signed a confirmation of the renewal,” he said.

“We kept him constantly informed. We also announced it on our social media, publishing the message ‘Banda always together until 2027’.”

“He seemed very positive at that time; a few weeks earlier, he had posted a photograph on Instagram celebrating his 100th appearance for Lecce, calling us his Italian football.”

“There was a relationship based on affection. In June, he asked me to pay part of his salary in advance to finance his wedding, and I was happy to do that for him.”

Lecce seek compensation

Sticchi Damiani said the situation changed after Banda failed to report for pre-season training, despite having told Lecce about his travel plans.

“We had received a very low offer from Al-Fateh, less than what we had originally paid for Lameck in 2022. We rejected it and nothing further came of it,” he said.

“Al Swehli made a low offer a month ago, so they already knew he was under contract with Lecce. After our refusal, they began planning with the player to sign him without paying a single cent.”

“They requested the transfer from the FIGC, which obviously refused. Al Swehli and Banda will now go to FIFA. Following the Lassana Diarra case, FIFA will not want to take risks and will therefore grant him a provisional transfer. It is highly likely that Banda will start the season with Al Swehli.”

The Lecce president expects FIFA to provide a temporary solution but said the Italian club would continue its legal action.

“However, FIFA has a tribunal competent to deal with cases of this kind and Lecce will take legal action. Our aim is for that tribunal to determine the damage caused by Banda’s wrongful breach of contract, with the complicity of Al Swehli, who encouraged him to take this radical step.”

Sticchi Damiani said Lecce were particularly frustrated because Banda’s own agents appeared to have been surprised by the events.

“We helped Banda develop with patience, we tolerated his mistakes on and off the pitch, until last season, when he finally became consistent and our top scorer.”

“Replacing him will be costly. In addition to compensation, those responsible for this deplorable situation deserve to be punished. Otherwise, we will create a precedent in which everyone feels free to act as they wish, ignore contracts and see clubs request provisional transfers from FIFA.”

“This is not only a fight for Lecce, but for all clubs that respect the rules. The player deserved to be suspended and the Libyan club should be excluded from the transfer market.”

Sticchi Damiani also confirmed that Banda’s representatives were no longer working with him.

“His agents no longer represent the player either; they have distanced themselves from Lameck’s behaviour,” he said.