Players of second division tier side Gicumbi FC have told the club that they won’t play Saturday’s second division mini league match against Vision FC, should the club management fail to clear their two-month salary arrears.
The Gicumbi-based club is one of the four teams eyeing a topflight promotion.
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One of the club players who spoke to Times Sport on condition of anonymity, claimed that the management has on several occasions promised to pay all due salaries as soon as their main sponsor, Gicumbi District, gives them the money they requested.
"It has been two months without getting paid a penny. As the players, we held talks with the club management about the issue several times but they kept telling us to wait,” claimed the player.
"We therefore came to an agreement that we will not play Saturday’s match (vs Vision FC) if nothing is done to get our money. We have families to support, we have our personal issues to deal with, so they are failing our patience,” he added.
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To address the issue, club Secretary General Antoine Dukuzimana said that they are doing everything they can to address the problem in due course.
He said, "we told them (players) that we’re trying hard to get them their salaries but at the same time that shouldn’t be an excuse for them to say they won’t play again because we don’t deny that we have their arrears.”
"We understand their frustrations, that's why we’re trying to see if we can at least pay them for one month while we are waiting for the district to give us the money.”
"I don’t think the players can decide not to play because they are aware of the situation and financial problems are common in district-sponsored teams, so it’s not only about us this problem is everywhere,” he further noted.
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Gicumbi will host Vision FC on Saturday in the first round of the second division top four mini league which they reached after eliminating Ivoire Olympique in the quarter final playoffs with a 2-1 aggregate victory.