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Edzai Kasinauyo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA board member and former Warriors’ player Edzai Kasinauyo could be in violation of standing Fifa statutes by continuing as player intermediary despite being in the executive of a governing football body.

Although Kasinauyo says he ceased being a player intermediary when he was elected into the Zifa board, South African Premiership side Ajax Cape Town chief scout Luis De Faria confirmed that he was still an active player intermediary.

“We’ve one player, who is having trials with us and is under Edzai,” said De Faria.

He said the former Moroka Swallows winger was in fact the intermediary for 17-year-old Cabral Gilles Happi, who is having trials at Ajax.

According to De Faria, Happi was born in Zimbabwe of Cameroonian parents.

“We’ve a young man here, who was brought by his manager Edzai. He was born in Zimbabwe of a Cameroonian couple. Get in touch with Edzai, he’s likely to give you more insight about the boy. He’s the boy’s agent,” said De Faria.

Kasinauyo denied that he was still a player agent.

“Yes I was (agent) but not now. It was before I became a Zifa executive committee member, but I’ve since stopped practising as an intermediary. I can’t do that anymore,” said Kasinauyo.

Asked in what capacity then he was commenting about Mamelodi Sundowns’ midfielder Khama Billiat’s rumoured move to English Premiership side Swansea, Kasinauyo claimed ZTV had misquoted him. He had told ZTV that Billiat was not leaving Sundowns.

“In football when you comment, people can quote you the way they feel,” he said before switching off his phone.

Repeated efforts to call him later yielded no success as his mobile number was constantly on voicemail.

World football governing body Fifa statutes prohibit football office bearers from practising as player intermediaries and have sanctions for both the club that engages the intermediary as well as the agent.

If it’s true that Kasinauyo remains an intermediary, his actions could suck Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town into the mud. A Fifa spokesperson last night referred Chronicle Sport to Circular No. 1417 in particular point 7: Conflicts of interest.

“More in depth information on this is available in Article 8 of the Regulations on Working with Intermediaries. We also kindly refer you to the background paper: Background Information on the Regulations on Working with Intermediaries as well as a Q&A on the subject,” said the Fifa spokesperson.

Point seven of Circular Number 1417 reads: “As a general rule, conflicts of interest shall be avoided. However, the new regulations provide for the possibility of disclosure, in writing, of any potential conflict of interest by the intermediary. If, prior to the start of the relevant negotiations, written agreement is then obtained by all the parties concerned, in particular the clubs and the player, dual representation would become permissible.” Article 2.4 on the Regulations on working with intermediaries stipulates that the engagement of officials, as defined in point 11 of the Definitions section of the Fifa Statutes, as intermediaries by players and clubs is prohibited.

Point 11 of the definitions section of the Fifa Statutes defines an official as every board member, committee member, referee and assistant referee, coach, trainer and any other person responsible for technical, medical and administrative matters in Fifa, a confederation, association, league or club as well as all other persons obliged to comply with the Fifa statutes (except players and intermediaries).

Provisions of Article 9 of Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, empowers associations to impose sanctions on any party under their jurisdiction that violates the provisions of these regulations and statutes. Associations are obliged to publish accordingly and to inform Fifa of any disciplinary sanctions taken against any intermediary. The Fifa disciplinary committee will then decide on the extension of the sanction to have worldwide effect in accordance with the Fifa disciplinary code.