Gor Mahia Reveal More Reasons for Late Withdrawal from Coal City International Cup
Gor Mahia's withdrawal from the Coal City International Cup was due to the organizers' failure to provide visas and air tickets on time, not a player strike. Club vice chairman Francis Wasuna reveals the details behind the decision
Image Credit: People Daily
Contrary to reports suggesting that Kenyan champions Gor Mahia failed to travel for the Coal City International Cup following player strike, SportsBoom.com can exclusively reveal that the trip to Nigeria aborted due to failure by the organisers to avail visas and air tickets on time.
Gor Mahia were to travel to Enugu, Nigeria, on Tuesday, July 30 for the tournament but were forced to cancel the plan thanks to a delay by the committee organizing the tournament in sending visas and airfare.
K'Ogalo were to grace the tournament as invited guests and had already been placed in group B alongside; Brazilian giants Corinthians, Coton FC of Benin, and Remo Stars of Nigeria.
Gor Official Slams Tournament Organiser
Club vice chairman Francis Wasuna told SportsBoom.com that the management shelved the plan to feature in the tournament after efforts to get the travel documents as agreed with the organizers fell through.
Wasuna disclosed that the organisers were to foot all bills but reportedly went mute after a reminder to avail air tickets and visas was made.
With time running out considering that Gor were to face Corinthians on August 2, Wasuna says withdrawing from the tournament was the best option.
"We are yet to get visas, let alone air tickets. The organisers of the tournament were to avail all these, but they haven't met the end of the bargain. We had to withdraw from participating and concentrate on the remainder of pre-season activities," Wasuna told SportsBoom.com.
We were not advanced any down payment at all.
Wasuna
Did Gor Mahia Get Down Payments?
Ordinarily, teams pocket down payment or part of the appearance fees after confirming participation in such kinds of tournaments.
Image Credits: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images
The funds are aimed at boosting preparations and meeting other logistical needs that may arise in the pre-tournament training.
However, Wasuna denied that the club had been advanced millions or hundreds of thousands before agreeing to play in the tournament.
Other Reasons for Gor Mahia's Withdrawal
Besides the unavailability of visas and tickets, Wasuna confirmed that the move by players to down their tools partly compelled the office to call off the trip to Nigeria.
Gor players threw the travel plans further in disarray after failing to show up in training on Saturday last week and on Monday in protest.
The players opted to desert club duties after the management failed to give a share of the league title's prize money and millions the club was advanced by the league's commercial partners.
Gor Mahia banked five million shillings for retaining the league crown, and it is further reported that Azam and KBC, who are the league's broadcast partners, gave the club ten million shillings.
"The players went on a strike, demanding part of the prize money. It caught us by surprise since such clauses don't exist in their contracts. We had paid them all their dues, and it is unfortunate that they played part in sabotaging the trip to Nigeria," said Wasuna.
Departure from Tradition
Traditionally, Gor or any other Kenyan club has been handing the playing unit a share of the prize money, but Wasuna confirmed that the club had adopted a different approach.
While criticising the players for attempting to hold the club at ransom, Wasuna said prize money, donations, finances from broadcast rights, or any other source belonged to the club, and players had no right to demand a share.
"We have been giving a token of appreciation to the players after winning a title. This was done most of the time considering that we used to have pending salary or allowance arrears. This time around, we didn't have arrears, and this means the club has all rights to use the finances gathered the way it deems it fit," said Wasuna.
The striking players have since been subjected to disciplinary proceedings and are expected to explain why they absconded duty in writing.
Club to Fine Players
The move to down tools will attract a fine as the club will withhold a portion of their salaries.
This Wasuna says is captured in their contracts and will go a long way in eliminating cases of players deserting duty without notice.
“They will not earn for the days they did not work. It is clear in their contracts,” he claimed.
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