The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered Egyptian giants Zamalek to pay Ghana striker Ben Acheampong an amount in excess of $1 million representing outstanding salaries, compensation for breach of contract, interest and legal costs.
Acheampong joined the White Knights in summer 2017 but the spell was far from successful – scored thrice in 7 appearances.
After returning from a loan stint, the former Kotoko man was put on the waiting list of Zamalek’s squad coupled with the club failing to meet its obligations in the contract between the two.
Acheampong was left with no choice but to terminate his four-year contract and move on with his career after the White Knights refused to pay his signing on fee as well as the roll-out end of season benefits enshrined in the deal.
He, however, reported the Egyptian giants to Fifa in demand for his entitlement.
His former lawyer Abdelrahman Mohamed El-Khabarawy also filed a lawsuit against him for failing to pay the commission for his move to Zamalek. He was consequently forced to pay EGP 400,000, which is the sum both parties had agreed upon prior to his transfer.
Acheampong’s Fifa action led to a ‘Settlement Agreement’ by the Dispute Resolution Chamber on August 16, 2019 which Zamalek failed to adhere to.
Through the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (pfaG), he then filed a complaint at CAS on January 24, 2020, claiming that Zamalek had defaulted in settling several of his salaries while contracted to them.
Partially upholding Acheampong’s appeal, CAS finally ruled that the 30-year-old terminated his employment contract with Zamalek with just cause.
It went on to set aside that the “Settlement Agreement” signed between the parties through the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber as Zamalek had been deemed to have exploited the player’s straitened circumstances.
“Zamalek Sports Club shall pay outstanding remuneration to Mr. Benjamin Acheampong in the amount of USD 169,303 with interest at 5% per annum,” CAS ruled in part.
The CAS ruling added: “Zamalek Sports Club shall pay compensation for breach of contract to Mr. Benjamin Acheampong in the amount of USD 787,308 with interest at a rate of 5% per annum as from 7 August 2018 until the date of effective payment.”
Ben Acheampong, since leaving Zamalek, has been plying his trade with Qatari side Al-Shamal.
