Sierra Leone: Soccer star on Saudi adventure
- Posted on Thursday 29 November 2007 - 12:16Bai-Bai Sesay, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra LeoneIn a press release circulated to all media outlets, Sierra Leonean international soccer star Mohamed Kallon has denied any wrong-doing while negotiating a contract with a top Saudi club.
He said he received an offer, not a contract, from AL Hilal FC to play for their club. Kallon said the offer has eight clauses, but he disclosed that he was not comfortable with two of the clauses: 5 and 8.
He however said that clause 5 is about winning match bonus, while clause 8 is about annual air tickets for his family and himself.
“I signed the offer and sent it back“, he said in a press release. “I Mohamed Kallon agree to the offer of Al Hilal FC and I’ll be returning to Saudi Arabia to pursue medical test and the signing of agreement.
“But please note that Article 5 and 8 will be discussed before signing of the agreement. Contract...” I was in London when Al Hilal FC sent my air ticket to travel to Saudi Arabia for signing of the agreement. In Saudi Arabia we spent two days on the negotiating table, trying to finalize the terms of the offer. I asked for 10,000 Euros as winning match bonus for each game (Clause 5) and five air tickets annually for my family and me, but we did not reach an agreement. Apparently there was a deadlock. The club President said he was fed up and he called off the meeting.
He further said that he has no alternative but to leave the hotel and went for shopping when he bumped into an old friend, Abdallah, from Jeddah. He said both of them went to Jeddah, where he has lot of friends since he had played for Jeddah Football Club for one season. And he went further to say that he actually went to Jeddah to make arrangements for his mother who is scheduled to make a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Kallon said while he was in Jeddah that Al Hilal FC informed the football federation that he has received 1(one) million Ryads (300,000 Euros) from them and that he have gone to Jeddah to talk to another club. He said Al Hilal FC also claimed that he has approached their rivals, Al Ittihad FC, and he has signed to play for them instead. Kallon said he got the news on national television while he was still in Jeddah. The football federation went ahead and announced that he has been banned from playing in Saudi Arabia for three years. “I can’t believe that!” he said
“The fact is I did not meet or speak to any official from another club. Al Ittihad has already signed three foreign players and there was no way they could have signed me. I was just being made a victim of the politics between Al Hilal FC and Al Ittihad”, the release stated.
“When I went to the airport, I was stopped by the police on the orders that I should not leave the country until I refund the money I have taken from Al Hilal FC. Which money? I missed the first flight scheduled for France”, the released added.
“However, after several hours, I was later allowed to leave. I left Saudi Arabia last Saturday and I am currently in Milan, and I have just received an official apology from al Hilal FC. Who said it was all a misunderstanding because they tried to reach me but they couldn’t.”
“Now the big question is why my suspension by the Saudi Arabia FA? I did not sign any agreement with any Saudi Club and I did not undergo any medical test”.
“I have no more interest to play in Saudi Arabia and I am demanding the lifting of my ban and an apology from the football federation. If they fail to withdraw the ban and apologies, I’ll take my case to FIFA”, he concluded.
Keywords: soccer sierra_leone
Reactions
- Posted on Friday 30 November 2007 18:14Al Hilal FC in saudi arabia is a very bad team in our countery.
it should be stoped from doing this ignominious things .
thank you
Homodey from saudi arabia - Posted on Friday 30 November 2007 22:52This player had plaied tow years ago in SAUDI ARABIA with AL-ITTIHAD club in JEDDAH he was verey good player and he plaied with ITTIHAD in the clubs world cup in JAPAN .
He came this time to play for ALhelal club but they did not reach to any deal regarding to his speak to the presse, but the most important thing in this is that
ALhelal club officials said that MR.Mansour Albalawi president of AL-ITTIHAD club is the responsible of this faild deal and they complained to the saudi football federation in KSA and MR.Mansour Albalawi was ungust way dismissaled .
fans of AL-ITTIHAD sended thouseds of email to FIFA asking investegations for this dismissal of MR.Mansour Albalawi president of AL-ITTIHAD club.
thank you
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