America next to be hit over unpaid wages
Reuters - Tuesday 26 April 2011, 23:59
BOGOTA - America became the third
Colombian club in a fortnight to be handed a suspended 30-day
ban over players' unpaid wages and social security
contributions.
Colombia's Sports Institute (Coldeportes), an arm of the
ministry of Culture, handed America, one of the country's
biggest clubs, the suspension on Tuesday following similar
sanctions to Deportes Quindio and Once Caldas.
America can still play their Apertura championship match
this weekend and the suspension will be lifted if they get up to
date with their player commitments, Coldeportes said on its
website.
"If the directors of America de Cali get up to date with
their labour and social security obligations towards their
sportsmen... this suspension measure will be lifted
immediately," Coldeportes said.
Coldeportes did not give details of America's unpaid wages
and social security payments but local media reports said it was
about 1.08 billion Colombian pesos ($603,689).
Coldeportes said it "has continued with the visits to
Colombia's professional soccer clubs with the purpose of
becoming acquainted with the legal and financial situation of
each one of them" as the government attempts to fix the domestic
game.