Just Hours after the unveiling of betting company Betway as the shirt sponsor for Kenyan premier league club AFC leopards, the sports dispute tribunal has termed the deal as null and void Soka25east.com can reveal.
As at this morning (February 2-2016) the club had two sponsors Betway and Sportpesa. This is after the two warying  management functions, one lead by Mathew Oporwa and the other by Dan Mule went on to sign the agreements separately.

According to records Dan Mule and Peter Lichungu signed the deal with Sportpesa, who are as well the sponsors for the Top flight league in the country, on the 26th of January 2016, while Matthew Oporwa and Maurice Osunda penned the deal with Betway the following day.

“As far as the sports dispute tribunal is concerned both of these deals are not valid. Neither of these agreements had the sanction of the tribunal” said the tribunal chairman Mr. John M. Ohaga in a press briefing few hours after the unveiling of Betway.

The club might be thrown in to shambles yet again, with both sponsors stating that they do have binding contracts with the club.

They are now threatening to move to the corridors of justice should one be reinstated over the other.

“Litigation is not the way to go. Even though the two betting companies proceed to take this unfortunate turn of events , there is a possibility that they will be directed back to the tribunal” added the chairman of the tribunal

“We have invited the two sponsors to the negotiating table so that we can find the way forward” he added

According to sources both companies are coming on board with the same amount of cash, which has been put at Ksh 30 million Kenya shillings and a 10% escalation every year, for the next five years for Sportpesa, and 30 million every year for five years by Betway.

As the two companies target on exploiting AFC Leopards as a brand, the tribunal has stated categorically that they will do consultations and evaluate the two deals, and only settle on the best deal for the club.

With the management wrangles threatening to throw Ingwe to the dogs before the start of the new season, the Sports dispute tribunal intervened, forming a care taker committee of ten individuals  five each from each  side, who’s every move, was to be sanctioned by the body.

So far the tribunal has been consulted on the appointment of the technical bench and the signing of new players which has already taken place.

The sneaking in of the deals by the two Leaders is a major hiccup to the development of AFC Leopards and the efforts of the Sports Dispute Tribunal to restore sanity in the club has been welcomed.

Florence Ndung'u