EXCLUSIVE: Ivorian Striker Risk FIFA Sanctions for Failing to Pay US$1.4M to Al Ahly

Souleymane Coulibaly could earn the wrath of the world football governing body for failing to pay the agreed US$1.4M fine to Al Ahly.

Once dubbed the next Didier Drogba, the 24-year-old’s current trouble spans back two years ago when he left the serial Egyptian league winners unannounced to touch down in Scotland.

Souleymane had accused the North Africans of mistreatment, discrimination and other vices.

He would go on to trial for Scottish side Patrick Thistle who initially dug their heels over signing him on account of the huge web of controversy trailing his path.

The Firhill-based side then sought FIFA’s permission to tie down the attacker to terms – a request they managed to secure.

In the interim, Al Ahly took umbrage over the matter lodging a case against the Ivorian seeking compensation for damages and breach of contract.

It took the Luzern-based dispute resolution committee months to sit over the issue and their eventual verdict found the goal-getter culpable of wrongdoing and ruled he pay the Egyptians a sum of US$1.4M.

After just a season, Patrick Thistle waived the former Elephants’ man who later made the switch to Tunisian Premier outfit Etoile du Sahel on the condition they sort out his saga with Al Ahly.

It was reported in recent weeks a troubled Etoile had reached an agreement with Al Ahly over the aforesaid figure including modalities of payment to put the matter to rest.

However, the Red Devils of Cairo’s attorney Abdel-Razak has come out refuting the claim saying no such settlement has been made, translating into looming trouble for the Ivorian, potentially from FIFA.

“What’s being said about Etoile reaching an agreement with us [Al Ahly] certainly isn’t true,” Razak says.

Coulibaly was a star man for Al Ahly when times were smooth between them.

He added: “They are not serious about ending this dispute, Coulibaly has more severe sanctions coming his way because he didn’t pay the $1.4 million fine imposed by FIFA in September of last year. He could receive a permanent ban along with several other sanctions, but negotiations with Etoile’s management have reached a dead end.

“They wanted to pay Coulibaly’s fine in Tunisian currency and we refused. We also asked them for a bank guarantee letter and they refused that as well.”

Additionally, Etoile do not seem a steady ship this moment after crisis forced the club president into resigning this week before rescinding his decision hours later.