A month before Zambia goes to South Africa for the AFCON 2013 tournament to defend the title they won in Gabon 2012, the players are yet to be paid their share of the prize money won by the team for beating Cote d’Ivoire to the title, according to unconfirmed reports.
According to a source, players were promised about K48million each as their share of the prize money but FAZ is yet to pay them. Further the source said nothing has been heard from the government over the houses the players were promised though all funds promised by the government as bonuses were paid to the players.
“How do you expect players to feel motivated ahead of the AFCON defense like this?” the source wondered.
In June, Sports minister Chishimba Kambwili in a ministerial statement to the Zambian parliament in Lusaka announced that the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) had already received $1.2 million of the prize money from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“In terms of how much money in addition to the trophy the Zambia national football team was given for winning the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the House may wish to know that the team was given $1.5 million,” Kambwili said.
“Of the $1.5 million from the AFCON, the Football Association of Zambia received $1.2 million in two equal tranches of $600,000 leaving a balance of $300,000. In this regard, therefore, K1.5 billion ($290,000) has been budgeted to pay the technical bench and players. Each will each receive an amount of K48, 875,000 ($9,500) once the players assemble. This will be in addition K300 million ($60,000) that each player got from the government as a winning bonus.”
The Chipolopolo sensationally beat tournament favourites Core d’Ivoire 8-7 on penalties after scores after extra time stood at 0-0 in Libreville, Gabon, in February in which Zambia was the better side.
The FAZ spokesperson, Erick Mwanza, could not be reached for a comment as his mobile phone went unanswered by press time. The FAZ Secretary General’s phone was off at press time.