The Kwara Football Academy has won a legal battle against Ukrainian side, Zorya Luhansk for the training compensation of Super Eagles’ striker, Dennis Emmanuel Bonaventura.
The Club Brugge striker moved to the Ukrainian club in 2016, and according to FIFA rules, the Ilorin-based academy are entitled to a training compensation fee for the development of the player.
However, FC Zorya refused to pay the said amount of money which prompted the management of the academy to take the case to FIFA and the Disciplinary Resolution Committee DRC of the world football governing body giving their judgment in KFA’s favour.
Despite the judgement from the DRC the Ukrainian side were not satisfied and appealed the judgement with the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS who also gave judgement in favour of Kwara Football Academy.
After the judgement from CAS, Zorya paid training compensation amounting to about 130,000 euros with about 42000 given to the law firm (Jan Schweele Attorney at law, Schweele law office) whom helped the academy in the legal battle and about 88,000 Euros been remitted to the state government’s account.
Speaking after the money has been remitted to the state government’s account, the Administrator of the academy, Mr. Kehinde Jimoh revealed that the government has asked him about the needs of the academy and how they can improve the academy with the money generated by the academy.
He however revealed that the academy need a total renovation of their classrooms, hostels, and the gymnasium. Also he mentioned the need to maintain and improve the pitches, medical facilities, training equipment, and increase the number of coaches in the academy.
“The government reached out to us about two weeks ago to ask about the pressing needs of the academy and how they improve the academy with the income generated.
“I told them the bad conditions of the hostels, classrooms, gymnasium, and medical facilities. Also, I highlighted the need to improve our pitches, get in standard training facilities, and increase the number of coaches in the academy, because right now in the academy, we have one coach to about sixty students which is below standard.
“Another issue is the movement of our players (Bolaji Bashir and Emmanuel Ugbo) who were meant to join their club side in Lithuania, FK Kauno Zalgris before the commencement of the UEFA Europa League qualifier.”
Speaking on behalf of the Kwara State Government, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state, Mrs. Joana Nnazua Kolo confirmed that the state has received the money from the Academy and that the state is planning to commence the necessary renovation at the academy before the end of the year.
She said, “The academy have remitted the money into the State’s Treasury Account and the government has promised to begin the necessary renovation at the academy before the end of the month because the renovation is already part of the state’s budget.”
