Former Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has formally asked the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) to pay him 423,820,300 CFA francs, an amount estimated at about US$745,000.
Thiaw has made the demand through his lawyer, who has reportedly issued a formal notice to the federation seeking payment of the outstanding sum.
The amount is understood to relate to several financial entitlements which Thiaw claims remain unpaid from his period as head coach of the Senegal national team.
According to the claim, the money includes outstanding salaries, bonuses, housing allowances and travel expenses.
It also reportedly covers bonuses connected to Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign and the country’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup.
The FSF has been given a stipulated period in which to settle the amount, with Thiaw prepared to consider further legal action if the federation fails to make the payment.
The dispute creates another issue surrounding Thiaw’s departure from his role with the Senegal national side, with the former coach and the federation now facing the prospect of a legal disagreement over his financial entitlements.
Thiaw’s demand is centred on the money he says remains due to him following his time in charge of the national team. His lawyer has formally brought the matter to the federation’s attention, giving the organisation an opportunity to resolve the issue before the matter potentially progresses further.
The claim includes several different categories of payment rather than being limited to salary alone. Thiaw is seeking money he says is owed in relation to his wages, performance-related bonuses and other benefits associated with his position.
Housing and travel expenses are also part of the reported claim, while additional bonuses are linked specifically to Senegal’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations and its successful qualification for the World Cup.
The FSF must now decide how to respond to the formal demand.
If the outstanding amount is not settled within the period specified in the notice, Thiaw could take the matter to the courts in an effort to recover the money.
That possibility could prolong the dispute between the former coach and the federation, which are already seeking to move on from his departure from the national team setup.
The financial disagreement therefore represents a further complication following the end of Thiaw’s time in charge of Senegal.
For now, the former coach is seeking an agreement with the federation through the formal notice served by his lawyer. A settlement would resolve the issue without the need for legal proceedings, while failure to reach an agreement could lead to the matter being pursued through the legal system.
The size of the claim means the dispute is a significant financial matter for both sides. Thiaw is demanding 423,820,300 CFA francs, approximately US$745,000, for the various entitlements he says remain outstanding.
The claim’s connection to Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign and World Cup qualification also means that some of the disputed payments are linked to the national team’s competitive achievements during his tenure.
The federation has been urged to respond within the stipulated timeframe.
Should it fail to do so, Thiaw’s legal representatives could take the next step in attempting to recover the money.
The situation leaves both parties with the task of resolving the financial dispute as they deal with the consequences of Thiaw’s departure from the Senegal national team.
