DStv Premiership club Royal AM has turned to another lawyer in seeking to find a solution to their FIFA-imposed ban over the matter relating to Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento.
Nascimento took up his breach of contract issue by Royal AM with FIFA last year after failed attempts to resolve the matter amicably and was handed an award of R600 000 (effective September 2023 with an interest of 5% per annum).
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Royal AM didn't comply and were then handed a three-window transfer ban following which they requested a motivated decision from FIFA before subsequently withdrawing their CAS appeal.
Nascimento has since returned home and joined Rio Branco Esporte Clube in the 2024 Campeonato Paulista.
"The first legal representative that communicated with us about this matter was named Leruma Thobejane," discloses Pedro Felipe Gomes da Silva, partner of RA Law firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, who represent Nascimento.
"He called me and then later, he submitted a letter to us requesting that we acknowledge that the club paid, which we could not because our client (Nascimento) wasn't paid as per the FIFA order.
"The second legal representative that I have now been dealing with in this matter is Eben Koen from BDP Attorneys, who I suppose is a well-known sports lawyer in South Africa.
"He submitted to FIFA via the portal, and they then informed us, upon which we responded.
"The FIFA transfer ban remains in place, and we don't have any further updates as of now.
"I don't think paying this amount to Ricardo will make them bankrupt, but it is their choice.
"The FIFA decision stated that he must receive the stipulated amount because the club terminated the contract.
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"Proof of payment that they provided is not acknowledged by the player, so it remains the same," explains Felipe, who also detailed how Royal AM GM Richard Makhoba was 'arrogant' when they engaged him before taking the matter to FIFA.