After Thanh Hoa and Hai Phong, Hoang Anh Gia Lai got into trouble with FIFA's penalty related to financial issues with foreign players. After FIFA's decision that the mountain town team was banned from participating in transfer activities until it paid the amount of 29,000 USD to the Ghanaian player.
The specific incident can be found in the media recently. The problem here is that Mr. Duc asserted that he “restored the club’s reputation”. But is the way Hoang Anh Gia Lai handled this incident reputable enough to have a basis for restoring reputation?
Many people talk about “cash payment” and “bank transfer” to confirm that Hoang Anh Gia Lai did not comply with the “regulations restricting the use of cash”, but Mr. Duc said that any form is “normal”.
However, FIFA will not care about the provisions of Vietnamese law, but the mandatory thing in their operation is that the club conducts financial activities through the account. When Dzilah's account has not "ting ting" the money from Hoang Anh Gia Lai, at least, that is the basis for FIFA to make a judgment. In addition, the "slow response" - causing the amount from 20,000 USD to increase to 29,000 USD. Understanding and grasping FIFA's law is another weakness of the Pleiku team as well as other Vietnamese clubs in the matter.
FIFA has been sued many times but has lost very few times. And even though they ruled in favor of Hoang Anh Gia Lai in a case in 2021 (center back Roberto Dias demanded $80,000 in compensation), there is little basis for Hoang Anh Gia Lai to win in their appeal against FIFA.
FIFA does not care about how many trillions of dong Hoang Anh Gia Lai “spent on football” or “only gave money but did not take players’ salaries”. For them, in a specific case, they need evidence from their own perspective. As for which side cheated which side, the authorities in Vietnam will make the decision.
It is not known where the story will go and when it will end, but Hoang Anh Gia Lai has begun to feel the direct effects of the incident.
