Esperance Sportive de Tunis, a prominent Tunisian football club, is once again embroiled in controversy surrounding the transfer of South African winger Elias Mokwana.
FIFA has issued a stern ultimatum to the club: pay Sekhukhune United $400,000 (approximately R7.5 million) plus 5% interest by January 30th, or face a significant player transfer ban.
This marks the second time the club has faced potential sanctions related to Mokwana’s transfer, raising serious questions about their financial management and adherence to transfer regulations.
The dispute stems from Mokwana’s August 2024 transfer from Sekhukhune United to Esperance.
Despite the transfer being completed, Esperance has failed to fulfill its financial obligations to the South African club.
This breach of contract has prompted FIFA to intervene, issuing a formal warning in a letter dated December 16th.
The letter outlines the severe consequences Esperance will face if they fail to meet the deadline.
According to FIFA regulations, if full payment, including the accrued interest, is not made within 45 days of notification, Esperance will be prohibited from registering any new players, both domestically and internationally.
This ban could extend for up to three consecutive transfer windows, severely hampering the club’s ability to strengthen its squad.
Furthermore, if the payment remains outstanding after the three transfer windows, the matter will be escalated to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for further action.
This is not the first instance of Esperance facing disciplinary action over Mokwana. In November, the player himself was on the verge of terminating his contract due to unpaid wages.
The club narrowly avoided sanctions by settling the outstanding payments at the time.
This latest development underscores a recurring pattern of financial mismanagement at Esperance and puts the club’s reputation at risk.