FIFA gives Kotoko up to May 17 to pay Esperance $240,000 to avoid transfer ban

FIFA has given Ghanaian giants Kumasi Asante Kotoko an ultimatum of May 17 to pay a fine of $240,00 to Esperance or face relegation.

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Kotoko and Emmanuel Clottey were fined $180,000 in 2015 for signing the latter at a time he had a running contract with Esperance.

The Kumasi giants failed to pay the fine and Esperance reported the matter back to the world football governing body and after sitting on the case the two times champions of Africa have been told to pay interest of $45,000 to the Tunisians and an addition $15,000 for failing to meet the first deadline for payment.

In a statement released by FIFA the debtor (Asante Kotoko) have been given a deadline of 30 days to settle the Creditor (Esperance).

"If payment is not made to the Creditor (Esperance) and proof of such payment is not provided to the secretariat to the FIFA Discplinary Committee and to the Ghana Football Association by this deadline:

"A ban from registering new players, either nationally or internationally, will be imposed on Debtor II (Asante Kotoko). Once deadline has expired, the transfer ban will be implemented automatically at national and international level by the Ghana Football Association and FIFA respectively, without a further or formal decision having to be taken nor any order to be issued by the FIFA Discplinary Committee or its Secretariat. The transfer ban shall cover all men eleven-a-side teams of the Debtor-first team and youth categories.

The Porcupine Warriors have just just 18 days to settle the long standing debt or they will be playing in Ghana's second tier league and will still be required to pay the debt.

The Kumasi-based giants were ordered to pay Esperance by 6 April or the Ghana FA will be ordered by FIFA to relegate the two-time African champions to the Division One League