Mali: six US Bougouni players released
After being suspended, the six US Bougouni footballers have received a letter of release with no financial compensation
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First revealed by Sport News Africa earlier this week, the case of the six players (Soumaila Diarra, Mamoutou Kane, Souleymane Sidibé, Moussa Sangaré, Lassana Gakou, Kalilou Tangara) sidelined by US Bougouni is causing a stir in Mali.
Read also: Mali: suspensions and unfair dismissals at US Bougouni?
After the players refused to accept the release offer put forward by the club's secretary general (Zantigui Fane), the club ended up forcing the issue by unilaterally "releasing" the six footballers with immediate effect.
The club refused to pay the full salaries until the end of the contract
Signed to US Bougouni until June, they were demanding payment of their full monthly salaries, as stipulated in the contract they signed with the club. The USB hierarchy did not take that option, refusing to negotiate and simply paying the January salary, along with the cost of transport to Bamako.
FIFPRO (the global players' union), which has already been alerted, and other national bodies could take up the case and initiate proceedings to enforce the rights of the six players, who for their part were relying on a bailiff's report with a formal summons to answer questions.