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One year ban on recruitment for Olympique de Marseille. It’s a blow for the Marseille club, currently on the podium of the French championship. Even if it intends to appeal the sanction imposed by Fifa, OM have been badly shaken by the consequences of the Pape Gueye case, their Senegalese midfielder recruited in 2020 against a backdrop of litigation with the English club Watford .
In addition to these twelve months of blockage on the transfer market, OM also received a fine of ” just over two million euros “, according to a source with knowledge of the file questioned by AFP, confirming information from L’Team.
The procedure was opened in February 2021 by Watford, with which Pope Gueye had signed up before withdrawing and joining the French club. The player, who is currently with Senegal at the African Cup of Nations, has been suspended for four months from all official competitions, with OM as with his selection. He was notified a few days ago of this sanction taken by the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber and, on Friday January 14, Gueye could not play with the Lions of Teranga against Guinea (0-0) at the CAN.
OM will seize the CAS
OM issued a press release to announce their intention, as well as that of Gueye, to appeal. before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) so that both the validity of their positions and the absence of any reproaches that could have been wrongly imputed to them are recognized ».
This appeal procedure is coupled with another request aimed at obtaining a suspensive effect of the sanctions during the appeal procedure. Asked by AFP, Fifa simply confirmed Gueye’s suspension, without giving any additional details.
Repercussions on the contract of Cédric Bakambu
If the sanction were confirmed, it would mean for OM the inability to act during two consecutive transfer windows. Presented Friday, January 14 to the press, the Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu is thus not yet qualified, the procedures for approving his contract being delayed.
Before joining OM in the summer of 2020, Pape Gueye, trained in Le Havre, had signed a pre-contract with Watford. At the end of April 2020, the English club even announced his signing for five years, from the following July 1. But Gueye, selected for the French youth teams before opting in October 2021 for Senegal, the country of origin of his parents, had in the meantime terminated this contract unilaterally for formal defects.
OM, then chaired by Jacques-Henri Eyraud, took advantage of the opportunity despite the risk of litigation, materialized a few months later by the appeal filed last February by Watford before Fifa.
Gueye suffered a major setback in his career. Without being an indisputable holder, he is indeed an important element of the Marseille midfield, this season with Jorge Sampaoli as before with André Villas-Boas. Regularly asked about the dispute between OM and Watford, he always said to himself ” serene ” and ” focused on football ».
With AFP
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