Mamelodi Sundowns have the right to report clubs perceived to be inducing Lucas Ribeiro Costa to terminate his contract to FIFA, argues a law expert.
In his concluding remarks in a letter to Sundowns, where Ribeiro threatened to terminate his contract, the Brazilian said: "As a reminder, following the Diarra ruling, my next employer will not be involved in the dispute between me and Mamelodi Sundowns FC, neither from a disciplinary perspective nor financially."
READ | How Sundowns could legally stop Ribeiro in his tracks
In a way, this tacitly reveals that assumptions exist that an overseas club could be involved, in one way or another, in influencing the PSL Footballer of the Season to terminate his contract with the defending champions.
Qatar SC were strongly linked with making multiple bids that were rejected by the Tshwane giants.
According to legal eagle Mpho Nkontlha of Nkontlha Attorneys, Sundowns can also lodge a complaint of inducement against such clubs to FIFA, an offence which can be punishable by sporting sanctions such transfer bans.
"In terms of the FIFA statutes, the Qatari club also runs the risk of being slapped with a sanction by FIFA due to player inducement, which is palpable in this saga," Nkontlha said, in writing, to this website.
The attacking midfielder is seeking to become one of the first footballers to benefit from the temporary transfer amendments by FIFA, which were adopted from January 2025 following a Lassana Diarra ruling by the European Court of Justice.
Nkontlha, however, believes such amendments are yet to have a worldwide effect.
"The only time in which the Diarra case would bind all national associations is upon declaration by FIFA, as was witnessed in the Bosman case."
"It would be premature for footballers to apply case law in this matter when FIFA Council has not amended its regulations to have a worldwide effect.
READ | Lawyer pokes holes in Ribeiro's Diarra ruling hope
"The concern arises when an independent association such as FIFA is bullied by the EU Parliament.
"I doubt whether decisions of non-existent African Court of Justice, Asian Court of Justice, Mercosur in the Latin America, whatever the case may be, if similar Continental courts existed, would persuade FIFA to consider legislative amendments. It would not happen at all.
“This is akin to European soft neo-colonialism," added Nkontlha in his sharp legal analysis. "
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images