Zamalek Sporting Club, a stalwart in Middle Eastern and African football, has successfully navigated through a prolonged financial entanglement, leading to the suspension of player registrations due to outstanding fines.
The club’s spokesperson, Ahmed Salem, shed light on the intricacies of resolving the crisis.
In an official statement released on Thursday, the club announced the conclusion of the settlement of “all cases” that led to the suspension of player registrations, totaling 14 cases.
The aim is to “focus on returning to the championship podiums,” reflecting Zamalek’s commitment to maintaining its historic stature.
Speaking to Sky News Arabia, Ahmed Salem detailed the club’s efforts in addressing the registration suspension crisis in recent months, stating:
“The club’s board exerted significant effort over the past months, especially in the final days, engaging directly with various stakeholders to reach suitable agreements for all parties.”
“We prioritized the registration suspension issue since the board’s election victory, directly communicating with eight sports entities, clubs, and players to eliminate any obstacles that hindered their relationship with the club in the past.”
“We faced a significant time challenge, and we were eager to fulfill the fans’ dream of re-registering as soon as possible, enabling us to support the team with new signings befitting the club’s prestigious name.”
Among the prominent issues addressed by the club were negotiations with Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon, settling the fine related to star player Mahmoud Abdel Razek, commonly known as “Shikabala,” dating back to 2015.
“We also successfully resolved disputes with Venezuela’s Caracas FC regarding the dues of player Samson Akinola, as well as the sponsorship rights crisis involving Senegalese player Ibrahima N’Diaye and Ghanaian player Atchimpong.”
“In the first week of this month, there was progress in negotiations with former Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira, with promising and positive talks.”
“All steps were executed smoothly, with the club officials striving to finalize all details calmly and professionally.
Today witnessed the last banking transaction to settle fines, thus ending any disputes with Zamalek.”
“We have communicated with FIFA regarding the developments with complainants, clarifying the reasons for the football team’s registration suspension.
Currently, we await an official letter from FIFA confirming the formal lifting of the registration suspension.”
“We remained undeterred by the negativity on social media.
It’s a legitimate right for the fans, and their aspirations provided us with the impetus to continue our journey to fulfill the promises made by the board since its election.”
“Now, our focus shifts to strengthening the football team with the best elements from the Egyptian league and international players.
We have clear plans that we are working towards implementing in the coming days, and we will soon announce new signings.”
Zamalek had faced challenges in acquiring new players during the summer transfer window due to the registration suspension crisis.
With the recent decision by FIFA to resolve the crisis, the club can now add players to its roster before the ongoing winter transfer window concludes.
Since the last international break, Zamalek fans had been increasingly vocal on social media platforms, seeking clarity on the resolution timeline for the registration suspension crisis.
The recent developments bring relief and renewed hope to the Zamalek faithful as the club looks forward to a more competitive stance in upcoming tournaments.
