Football icon Kalusha Bwalya has vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to clear his name after he was banned for two years by FIFA for accepting a bribe.
The Geneva banned Kalusha for accepting a bribe from banned Qatari official Mohammed Bin Hammam.
But in a statement, Kalusha said he is surprised and saddened by FIFA decision.
He said he has since instructed his legal team to immediately appeal the decision.
Kalusha said he is not guilty of any offence.
Below is the full statement released by Kalusha
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
10th August 2018
I the undersigned KALUSHA BWALYA
Do hereby state that: –
• I am surprised and saddened by today’s receipt of the notification from the FIFA Ethics Committee adjudication.
• I have instructed my legal team to immediately appeal this decision urgently and would like to state that I am NOT guilty of any offence, which allegedly took place.
• I have never done and will never do anything to bring the beautiful game into disrepute and stand by the facts provided by me to the committee.
• I unfortunately cannot provide any further details as my legal team has advised I that this would jeopardize my chances of obtaining leave to appeal.
• FIFAs decision is not final and I will fight tooth and nail for justice to clear my name.
• I thank all my fans for their on-going support.
SIGNED
KALUSHA BWALYA
Stup!d man you should have let your lawyer eay those words.
You snd you alone said yali ni nkongole!
So what areyou telling us now?
Tondolo musuma!
I believe him.
FIFA and the United nations are attacking our country.
We are being tested ladies and Gentlemen.
I don’t like Kalusha overturning this at all, if the people higher than him have done so.
He will claim it’s a gift but unfortunately he has to take it on the chin.
For now he needs our support he is the best FAZ chairman ever. Who else brought the African cup home ?
He needs to return the $80,000 bribe.
This statement from him though sounds naive and rushed.
Not a good sign
Thanks
BB2014,2016
What legal team can he afford …thats just hot air
Shame on Zambia’s biggest export. Go anywhere in Africa, anywhere, if you tell them you are from Zambia, they mention Kalusha Bwalya.
I do not know anyone that has been banned by FIFA, and has had that ban overturned.
So I think Kalusha will indeed need those teeth and nails to clear his name.
Good luck
We will help you bro Kalu.
We have people, I mean big people like abena Simon Miti etc. That’s ka small case.
Even Biti was sure he will be given Asylum in Zambia……
I believe him too.
Fwendelani uko imwe ba Kalu, in your statement, there is no mention or any sort of apology to the Zambian people despite of the shame you have brought upon Zambian.
I am curious what your so-called legal team will do to overturn the ruling, nothing mune. Be a man, be strong and show that you have balls between your legs and accept your wrongdoing then kani izasila.
Uko…
Why does Mushota and a followers believe everything? Are they all stup!d or what?
“Unstable Party of Nincompoops and Dunderheads (UPND)” Thanks for the owner of the copyright for this!
Natolele fye.
SEBANA WIKUTE
Ba Kalusha “tooth and nail”???? Yazasilapo chabe meno ayo yabwino sure munthu iwe
Once Bemba, always a thief. This Kalu is just another Bemba thief
Kale made a mistake and committed a crime under FIFA regulations and general code of ethics. Now we have Tonga’s insulting. What kind of people are these. All my life I have supported and sympathised with them. Ok now the maids that stole from Kaseba are Tonga. Most pedophiles are Tonga. Most rapists are Tonga do we insult. No it just individuals. Let’s only condemn where it’s due and not involve tribes
Styopeti lyobe you should have let your lawyer eay those words.
You snd you alone said yali ni nkongole!
So what areyou telling us now?
Tondolo musuma!
Really laughable..Great Galu is on record for stating he received a loan from Bin Hammam …how much has he paid back? Let him appeal so they give him a lengthier ban longer than 48 months. Everyone knows this chap was corrupt..
Pass the popcorn!!
BOSS KALU KEEP OFF THE MEDIA DONT WRITE ANYTHING TO THIS MATTER DEAL WITH FIFA SECRETLY AND INFORM THE NATION FINAL RESULTS OTHERWISE PIPO JUST DISTRACT UR ATTENTION TO THE MATTER AT HAND. GO GREAT KALU OUR ONLY LEGEND IN ZAMBIA
Anyoko how can you say the only legend in Zambia? What about Sate Sate Kampamba? kikikikikikikik
the chap is a pf cadre. what do you expect
That’s exactly what kapoko said the first time he was arrested.
What do you expect from this silly PF cadre who thought he was untouchable! Does it surprise anyone that this chap went to bed with the corrupt PF? He was captured even kicking a ball at PF campaigns. The saying is that birds of the same feather flock together. And people think that corruption can be tackled under PF kiki. How does a thief tackle stealing? We warned you to be careful. Look how we in UPND have handled the alleged theft of that thief who was fielded as a candidate of the upcoming by election. We have quickly reported him to the police. had that been PF, they would have buried it under the carpet.
Aba puba ba Kalu.. Tooth and nail finshi. This is an international stage and not the banana Republic in which you are used to getting away with nonsense..
About time this guy got his. His insatiable love for money was always going to be his downfall.
Am sure he typed this swiftly from his Blackberry without consulting his so called legal team as if he can afford one…if he had one they would have told him not to type such nonsense!!
Instead of inflaming the situation better keep quite and stay clear of social media and the news. How come a credit has now become a bribe? There is something fishy here , just disclose all those who were bribed together with you so that you all pay the price. Turn into a FIFA witness and the all your bribes will be history like those of Miti Kkkk.
“Kawalala” always tries to deny theft. Here in our Kingdom there are no thieves becoz we chop the hands that feed corruption
“Yali ni nkongole twasendele kuli Bin Hammani lilya twale shupanya na abena Rupiah!” Now the stinking Katangese Tubulu wants to claim he is innocent, atase! Wherever you hear of corruption in Zambia or outside by a Zambian, paka pankale po muTUBULU! No wonder corruption stinks!
Now he becomes Katangese. When he was winning he was Zambian
Ba guy u could have just waited for two years tondolo musuma
My friend chaps like Galu drink and breath football doing punditry here, his juniors team in RSA, a FIFA ceremony here and there for contacts, the wife’s sports business…with this ban everything is cut off for two years. These chaps never invested ..they want to live like kings yet don’t the funds
What a blot on your once great cv Kalu….
The main gripe I have with Kalu is he has done more for grassroots football in S.A. than in his motherland….
“Let it be told! “He is a Thief and we TTONGAS and other Hatribes UTD with us are happy! It is because we don’t like “them!” BoSpakata & HaJayJay.
No one is talking to you just go and wash your old smelly ####### between your legs…
I am sorry to say that there has been news after news about Kalusha’s unbecoming behaviour recently, especially from the time South Africa hosted the world cup on ticket issues, FAZ and player issues, unleashing cadres on Kamanga etc. luckily in a Zambian situation he was untouchable due to the great respects he was accorded. Much of that respect however was lost the moment he become as active cadre of PF. Now my once upon a time hero, enjoy the 2 years ban, in other words you have been retired unceremoniously.
The rules are clear when it comes to expensive gifts on duty, except the rules are overlooked. Don’t demonise FIFA here. This apparently is the same problem we have with our political leadership.
I am glad Mapatizya Formula Kitchen sink will never work because Childish WILL NEVER be PResident, fullstop.
$750million is due for payment…..where is the money
Not surprised in a country with a twisted corrupt culture where everyone wants to benefit illegally from anything they are associated with… from a gardener to a president, the first thing they think about on Day one on the job is “how can I find a loophole for me to exploit and illegally benefit in addition to my legal salary”.
This majority Bemba enshrined culture of ‘nchekeleko’; ‘ni tola fye’ is what is bringing this country down and stagnating it from progressing forward. The country needs a massive cultural change of responsibility, integrity and principles and a ‘fair go’ culture to have any meaningful progress.
As for Kalu, how could he expect a successful appeal on the same evidence he presented? He will just lose all his bl00d money on legal fees.
This is a very sensitive matter but this culture we have promoted in Zambia of theft and corruption will thus nowhere. It is now deeply engraved; systematically by ensuring power, political power, solely remains in the hands of the corrupt. It’s a pity the majority are from a certain region/regions but that does not represent the mindset and culture of that region/regions. Most of them are Kopulande characters who have been starved of copper money.
Apologies, did not mean Kopulande but kopala characters
Do you expect anything else where a president does not mind being called a corrupt theif everyday ?
This guy aii,with no shame lmao. Have a bit of dignity,even just a fraction
Haha ,its shameful that in Zambia a prominent position is not about serving,improving and making a diference but enriching oneself is the motive . Shame on you KB for bringing shame upon Zambia.
Spot on mate. We need to redefine the meaning of coolness and greatness in this country. My take is that:
Greatness is about making a positive difference in one’s society through acts of selflessness and hard work and not about the amount of wealth one accumulates through corruption and other criminal activities.
Yup you’re right Alternative Facts , Mandela and Julius Nyerere were the example of serving to make a positive difference.
KK was one serving servant for mother zambia…
Agreed Enya, Mandela is the definition and epitome of greatness!
Not surprised. Isn’t this matter already before the ACC? Isn’t this the man who was quoted telling Bin whatever, “I am thin on resources…”? Every dog has it day!
Now this has put a morbid ACC in the spot light….they are also supposed to be investigating this……or are the ACC just used to get to lungus opponents ?
Sure Kalusha Bwalya is given a gift of 80,000 dollars and he should say no I dont want this gift. All these simple minds posting anti Kalu postings above would surely get the gift. There is nothing wrong that Kalu did, we would all get the gift
Typical African mentality….we know PF and lungu think like you…..there are rules to follow for people in positions of responsibility…..
My friend, there are many of us who have been approached by the crooks Chinese with three times that Money and not once but refused. This is the problem with people who have no conscience; hey see Money they stop thinking. Think of the future my friend. Discerners and those with goals understand the phrase, ‘there is no free lunch’. I hope you will help pay the lawyers for Kalusha after having encouraged him to pocket the money.
# 22.2 JJP
Well said, with people like you , Zambia has a chance.
leave him alone with his bribes…everyone is doing it in Pf !!
FIFA has already done their investigation and moted the punishment. Kalusha is not the only one. All the bribe money was traced to all the guilty officials. Higher FIFA officials have been banned from taking office and have not apealed because the evidence is HUGE. . Kalusha should not waste his money apealing. It will be up to the Zambians to decide what to do. If the money was given on behalf of Zambian Soccer the govern ment should ask him to repay. Or they can prosecute him for corruption. Kalusha was a great guy but he had a lapse of judgement and needs to just admit it so we can move on.
‘International Order’ You mean well. It is impossible for Kalu to overturn this. FIFA took its time, allowing Kalu to participate in FIFA 18 before meeting out punishment; all out of courtesy. Kalu should just apologise and live with it a while until society restores him. The legal mindshe seeks to hire should be honest with him. He will only lose money; and imagine the further damage if and when his appeal is rejected. Another international headline. There is full evidence money was transferrres and received from a FIFA candidate who has since been banned for life for similar offenses and Kalu is part of that evidence. My dear brother; we are standing with you but do not appeal.
Iwe Rupiah Banda, ****. Suddenly Kalu is kantangese. Buruya we pumbafu. Wabeja. Lets wait for the end result to this sad and unfortunate issue. Otherwise, hpwever jealous imwe ba pompwe bonse against Kalusha, he shall still remain as one of Zambia’s greatest sports icon only second to the great Samuel Matete of track and field who had won everything, serve for the olympic silver he got in 1996. Stop ruining icons just because you are jealous of their achievements.
Bembas are thievs. They are tarnishing the image of the country. Even that woman who swindled the health institutions, Chisanga is Bemba.
Hehehehe. Mabvuto!!! The last time he uttered a word he said it was nkongole today he is saying defend defend tooth and smell. Disaster!!!!
Kalusha,what a shame!well it all started when he missed that penalty against Angola.Ego and greedy was exhibited at its highest.They say,Don’t overstay your welcome.Which legal team can allow you to write such?