Tashkent-based Bunyodkor football club (FC) has reached an agreement with Brazilian football players Rivaldo and Denilson for the long-term financial dispute.
As previously reported, the disciplinary committee of the International Football Federation (FIFA) sent a decision to the Uzbekistan Football Association on February 22, obliging Bunyodkor to pay Rivaldo the debt of 8.16 million euros, and $1.11 million to Denilson.
Bunyodkor FC was found guilty of failure to fully implement the decision by the decision of the FIFA National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) dated September 21, 2017. This was fully confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on November 6, 2023.
FIFA gave Bunyodkor FC 30 days to settle the debt. Otherwise, it said it would take “appropriate measures.”
The Tashkent club underscored that, according to the licensing requirements of the Asian Football Confederation, Bunyodkor FC had to resolve issues related to the debt by March 31. Following the negotiations, the parties reached an agreement on March 30. As a result, the team was able to upload the necessary documents to the licensing platform.
“According to FIFA’s decision, Bunyodkor FC is now required to repay the debt to Rivaldo and Denilson by April 7 of this year. The sums due under the new agreement are reportedly lower. While, the agreed amount will be paid to Denilson in three installments until 2026. Payments to Rivaldo will be made once a year installments until 2028,” the statement added.
Earlier, the director of Bunyodkor FC, Murad Aliyev, said that the debt would be repaid by the club’s woner, that is, the state-owned company Uzbekneftegaz. According to him, the amount of debt of 9.2 million euros constitutes the club’s 2-3 year budget.
