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SOME Shepolopolo players have described the K1, 500 allowances being paid to them
by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) as an insult.
FAZ yesterday started paying the players K1,500 for qualifying, camping and subsequent participation at the TN 9th Mobile Africa Women Championship held in Namibia.
While some players accepted the money FAZ dangled out to them out of desperation, others said it was an insult to be paid such an amount when they were owed K12,000.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, the players told the TIMES that they had agreed to end their week-long protest on Monday because FAZ had promised to pay them half of what was being owed.
“They told us they will pay us half and we know that half of the amount should be, K6,000 not this K1,500 we are being given. This is an insult to us,” the players complained.
Some of the girls after receiving the K1, 500 said that they only accepted the money out of desperation while others left Football House empty handed after FAZ refused to pay them demanding a return of the full kit.
“We are in shock because FAZ is demanding that we return the full kit which includes jerseys, boots, truck suits bought for us by NOWSPAR and cycling shorts before they can give us our money,” the girls said.
They players said they were disappointed that FAZ had the courage to even issue a statement warning them for merely demanding their allowances. The girls are demanding K5,000 for qualifying, K50 per day for a month camping and US$80 per day for their stay in Namibia.
“FAZ says they are not happy with our behaviour, we are equally not happy with their warning, this issue would not have reached this far if we were given what is due to us,” they said.
Some girls maintained their stance of not playing for the national team while one of the players vowed to completely stop playing both at club and national team level.
“From today I have ended my football career both at club and national team level because it is not beneficial but a sheer waste of time. I am urging my fellow girls not to take football as a career because it’s not beneficial, let them concentrate on school. To be honest FAZ have messed up my talent,” she said.
Meanwhile, FAZ communications manager Nkweto Tembwe said the Shepolopolo players have been paid what was promised to them.
“Everyone has been given part of their money as we promised on Monday and we have told the girls when to come and collect the rest of their allowances,” Tembwe said.
Tembwe said FAZ’s demand that the girls return the full kit was a
standard practice but denied demanding cycling shorts.
