Asante Kotoko, earlier this week, took a decision to chase a non-existent money by writing to demand solidarity contribution on the free transfer of former player Gideon Baah from Kazakhstani side FC Shakhter Karagandy.
The move is in sharp contrast with the provisions in the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players which states that solidarity contribution is applicable on only international transfer or loan.
Baah joined the Kazakhstan Premier League outfit on January 24, 2020 from FC Honka in Finland.
Despite joining Shakhter Karagandy on a free, the management of Kotoko, in a letter signed by General Manager Nana Kwasi Gyambibi, surprisingly requested payment of solidarity contribution to the player’s development in his youthful years at the club.
Portions of a letter to Shakhter Karagandy dated April 20, 2020 stated:
“I write to demand our share of the solidarity contribution on our former player Gideon as FIFA establishes in its status and transfer of players, Article 21.”
How the Fifa Solidarity Mechanism works
If a professional is transferred before the expiry of his contract, any club that has contributed to his education and training shall receive a proportion of the compensation paid to his former club (solidarity contribution). The provisions concerning solidarity contributions are set out in Annexe 5 of these regulations.
By the provisions of Article 21 stated above, Kotoko have no basis to demand for solidarity compensation as there was no fee involved involved in Gideon Baah’s free agent move from FC Honka to Shakhter Karagandy four months ago.
It becomes a mystery how this fact escaped the Ghanaian giants.
Now 28, Gideon Baah lasted between 2008 and 2014 as a player for Porcupine Warriors, where he scored two goals in over 30 matches.
The left-back has since played for clubs like FC Honka twice (in 2013 and 2019), HJK Helsinki, New York Red Bulls, Kairat-Akademia, Gomel and now Shakhter Karaganda. His last four moves have been on free agent basis.
