FIFA Fines Egyptian Club $70,000 For Abandoning Nigerian Player, Ajayi

FIFA has ordered Egyptian club Smouha SC to pay Nigerian striker Junior Ajayi $70,000 after abandoning the player following an injury in 2022.

In October 2022, during a friendly match between Smouha and Canal, the former U23 international suffered an injury.

After being dumped by the team, the 27-year-old presented his case to FIFA.

FIFA has now stepped in and given the Alexandria-based club a couple of weeks to pay the Nigerian player $70,000.

Ajayi has spent his whole football career in North Africa, beginning with Tunisian club CS Sfaxien in 2015 before joining Al Ahly a year later.

Junior Ajayi helped Egyptian giants Al Ahly to secure 2 CAF Champion Leagues, 2019-20 and 2020-21. However, following the arrival of Percy Tau and Luis Miquissone, he was never selected by Pitso Mosimane for matches and demanded Al Ahly to terminate his contract. He eventually found himself in Libyan side Al Nasr-Benghazi. On July 30 2022, Junior Ajayi returned to Egypt by signing for Alexandria based Smouha SC.

Ajayi began his career with the Nigerian U20 squad before progressing to the U23 team, which won bronze in the Rio 2016 Olympics football event.

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