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Xolisani Gwesela

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
ZIFA have slashed annual fees paid by individual intermediaries from $2 000 to $1 000 following an outcry by player representatives.

Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda and executive committee member Philemon Machana met player intermediaries last Friday in Harare and resolved to reduce the annual registration fees to $1 000.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said company intermediaries will now fork out $2 000, down from $3 000 that had been set earlier.

He said they met Lindela Tshuma, Cousin Zilala, Gibson Mahachi, Maradza Mhiribidi and Denford Mutashu, among others, over the new process and after deliberations, Zifa saw it fit to reduce the fees.

Gwesela said existing intermediaries will no longer be required to provide the irrevocable bank guarantee of $15 000 to Zifa, but to provide insurance cover while the requirement has not been changed for new entrants.

The clause is likely to hinder new entrants getting into the field of player intermediaries, which has changed following the adoption of the Fifa regulations on working with intermediaries that came into effect on April 1, 2015. According to the regulations, an intermediary is “a natural or legal person, who, for a fee or free of charge, represents players and/or clubs in negotiations with a view to concluding an employment contract or represents clubs in negotiations with a view to concluding a transfer agreement”.

According to a communiqué issued by Zifa in January, people interested in being player intermediaries must have knowledge of Fifa regulations on working with intermediaries, a tertiary education certificate, police clearance as a test of good character and reputation, and a 12-month irrevocable bank guarantee of $15 000 from a reputable commercial bank.

“Other requirements and regulations remain in force as stated and application forms should be obtained from Zifa and cost $100. The application form contains a declaration section where one would commit themselves to abiding by the Zifa and Fifa regulations on intermediaries which one should sign and those applying should show the capacity to pay annual fees while previous experience as a player agent is an added advantage,” said Gwesela.

In addition to the requirements for registration of individuals, Zifa said companies seeking to be accredited as intermediaries should submit company registration documents, police clearance, certificates for their shareholders, directors and management members.

Gwesela said the requirements are part of changes the national association is putting in place to curb a rising number of unscrupulous intermediaries that rip off desperate players and clubs.

“I would like to categorically state that as an association we will not tolerate any individuals masquerading as intermediaries when they are not registered with us. If you are not registered please stay away from representing players otherwise we will be forced to invoke football statutes to deal with any such elements,” said Gwesela.

According to the Fifa regulations on working with intermediaries, Article 6, paragraph 3 — national associations should make publicly available at the end of March of every calendar year, for example, on their official website the names of all intermediaries they have registered as well as the transactions in which they were involved in.

The Fifa regulations also state that the total amount of remuneration per transaction due to intermediaries engaged to act on a player’s behalf should not exceed three percent of the player’s basic gross income for the entire duration of the relevant employment contract.

It is expected that the move will clip the wings of some greedy intermediaries, some of who are alleged to demand an equal share with the player.