FIFA has developed a system called Transfer Management System (TMS) which is used for inter club transfers (that is when a player moves from one team to another in different associations). No transfers involving two different Associations can take place without going through the TMS. Every Club (affiliated to FIFA and CAF) in the world has a designated administrator and so does every Football Association. This system is web based, hence is accessible through internet.
In order for a transfer to take place, the following has to happen:
- The recipient club must first engage the holding/counter club (the one which is releasing the player) through TMS;
- The counter club then responds to the requesting club through the same system;
- Upon the two clubs agreeing to the transfer through the TMS, the counter Association (the one which the releasing club belongs) will confirm if indeed the requested player/s are registered with same;
- Upon confirmation by the counter Association, the receiving Association will request for the release of the ITC which will be duly released by the holding association;
The facts of the matter is as follows:
a. On the 31st January 2019 at 2336hrs, TS Galaxy engaged Township Rollers in the TMS in relation to the transfer of Mosha Gaolaolwe and Gape Mohutsiwa and the request was completed at 2347hrs;
b. On the same date at 2336hrs Township Rollers responded to the request in the affirmative and. Township Rollers finished the transaction at 2347hrs;
c. The counter/releasing Association could not react to the request as it was outside working hours and there had been no prior arrangement made with the counter/releasing Association to await the transaction. The practise has been that where clubs anticipate transactions in TMS outside working hours, they would inform the Association in advance so that prior arrangements are made to assist the transacting clubs especially on deadline day of any registration period.
d. The counter/releasing Association(BFA) only became aware of the pending transactions in the morning 01 February 2019)when the Office opened for business and duly responded to the request by 0808hrs;
e. Although the counter/releasing Association had responded to the request, FIFA declined to issue the ITC as the transfer was concluded outside the receiving Association’s transfer period.
f. Despite the rejection of the request by FIFA, the receiving club (in this case TS Galaxy) had an option to appeal to the FIFA Players Status Committee if indeed it felt aggrieved of the decision in the TMS which option the club has not utilised to date;
g. We have also noted that there was a similar transaction involving the same club (TS Galaxy) and Jwaneng Galaxy. In the said instance TS Galaxy did not engage Jwaneng Galaxy regarding the transfer of Thero Setsile despite the initiative by Jwaneng Galaxy to engage TS Galaxy in the TMS. The transfer eventually fell by the wayside due to the non-action by the receiving club.
Based on the above, the BFA would like to categorically inform the general public that the failure of the intended transfers was not due to any action and or lack thereof from the Association and its employees. We want to take this opportunity to rebuff social media statements suggesting that the non-materialisation of the transaction was as a result of failure to act by the BFA.
