Ouaddou’s R11.5m dispute with AS Vita could be resolved after club elections

A solution to Abdeslam Ouaddou’s long-running financial dispute with former club AS Vita could emerge after the Congolese side elects a new president on Saturday.

The Orlando Pirates coach is owed an estimated €612,000 (about R11.5m) after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a ruling that AS Vita had breached his contract. The award includes unpaid salaries and bonuses, reimbursement for air travel and compensation for the contractual violations.

AS Vita has been under a FIFA transfer ban since 27 May after failing to comply with decisions made by both FIFA and CAS. The club is also required to pay 3,000 Swiss francs in procedural costs, as well as two-thirds of the arbitration fees.

The case was initially brought by Ouaddou at FIFA in November 2024. The Moroccan-Frenchman had complained about the non-payment of his salary and other contractual breaches during his brief spell with the Kinshasa-based club.

FIFA ruled in Ouaddou’s favour, but AS Vita appealed the decision at CAS. The arbitration body upheld the original ruling on 27 May, leaving the club responsible for a total amount of €612,227.30, according to documents circulating about the case.

Alexis Rutman, counsel at Steering Legal in Paris, France, has been handling Ouaddou’s case.

The timing of AS Vita’s presidential election could now prove significant. Once the new president takes office, talks are expected to begin over a payment plan to settle the debt and address the transfer ban that currently prevents the club from registering new players.

Ouaddou was appointed during the presidency of Amadou Diaby. In more recent times, Flory Mapamboli has served as the club’s interim president.

If AS Vita continues to disregard the arbitration award, the transfer ban will remain in place and the club could face additional sanctions under the applicable regulations.

Ouaddou is currently in his second season in charge of Pirates. His contract with the South African club was improved after he guided them to three trophies last season.

The dispute dates back to his short tenure at AS Vita in 2024, when he encountered a series of problems that included alleged breaches of the agreement between the coach and the club. The FIFA and CAS rulings have now left AS Vita needing to resolve the financial obligation before it can fully restore its ability to operate in the transfer market.