Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou faces delay over R11.5m AS Vita payout

The R11.5m payment owed to Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou by former club AS Vita remains unresolved amid legal, financial and leadership problems at the Congolese side.

Ouaddou had a troubled brief spell at AS Vita in 2024, after which he lodged a claim with FIFA through Alexis Rutman, counsel at Steering Legal in Paris, France.

The dispute followed several alleged breaches of his contract, including unpaid salaries and AS Vita’s failure to reimburse him for flight tickets.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport subsequently upheld FIFA’s decision that Ouaddou’s claim was admissible.

According to documents, AS Vita must pay him €612,227.30, approximately R11.4m. The amount includes outstanding salaries and bonuses, reimbursement for airfare and compensation for breach of contract.

The club has also been ordered to pay 3000 CHF, approximately R60 000, in procedural costs, as well as two thirds of the arbitration fees.

AS Vita has not complied with the ruling and has been subject to a registration ban since May 27. The club is also facing a separate registration sanction linked to Heritier Luvumbu, who is pursuing USD62 500, approximately R1m, in unpaid salaries.

That sanction came into force on September 17.

Although AS Vita have continued to recruit players ahead of the new Linafoot season, which is expected to begin this month after being postponed in August, those signings cannot be registered to play until both bans have been lifted.

The club’s ability to resolve the situation is further complicated by an ongoing leadership dispute.

Flory Mapamboli has been serving as interim president since Amadou Diaby resigned. Sylvestre Makambo, meanwhile, was unanimously elected on September 18 before the Council of Elders.

The competing leadership positions have left AS Vita in a difficult position and have delayed the settlement of Ouaddou’s claim.

As a result, the Pirates coach’s payment is expected to remain outstanding until the dispute over the club’s administration has been resolved.

Ouaddou will, however, be entitled to receive the outstanding amount with interest. For now, his focus is on Orlando Pirates’ MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.