South China’s foreign players ask Fifa to help in pay dispute
Some are on HK$100,000 a month while local footballers are turning to the HKFA for assistance
In a battle for millions owed under contract, at least two of South China’s foreign players have asked Fifa for help as the labour dispute with Hong Kong’s most famous club plays out.
South China, the oldest and most successful club in Hong Kong’s history, dropped a bombshell last month by giving up their Premier League status and will instead play in the amateur second-tier First Division next season.
The decision was duly accepted by the Hong Kong Football Association, but nine players, including three from overseas, are still under contract.
These contracts were arranged by outgoing convenor Wallace Cheung Kwong-yung, who quit at the end of the season after failing to come to terms with the club’s parent body, the South China Athletic Association (SCAA).
Some of the players have a monthly salary of HK$100,000 but South China are only willing to pay the players one month’s salary to settle the case, according to a well-placed source.
All three foreign players – Bojan Malisic, Luiz Carlos and Nikola Komazec – have returned home and were not available for comment, but the source confirmed they had already sought help from the world governing body to resolve their contract issues.