Coronavirus: Djourou & Song Among Nine Sion Players Sacked

By Daily Sports on March 21, 2020

Former Arsenal duo Johan Djourou and Alexandre Song are among nine players sacked by Swiss club FC Sion for refusing to take an unemployment settlement in light of the coronavirus.

The entire squad was contacted on social messaging service WhatsApp by president Christian Constantin on Tuesday. Constantin’s message asked the players to take a “technical unemployment” deal which would see them receive a payment of around 9600 Swiss francs – an amount that is equivalent to 80% of the legal monthly salary in Switzerland.

The players were given until noon on Wednesday to respond and, although many of them refused or failed to reply, nine were subsequently let go – many of them on contracts that were due to expire at the end of June.

As well as Song and Djourou – who played for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger – Christian Zock, Pajtim Kasami, Ermir Lenjani, Xavier Kouassi, Birama Ndoye, Mikael Facchinetti and Seydou Doumbia now find themselves dismissed without notice and without a club as world football has ground to a halt in the face of the pandemic.

The Swiss Players Union, the SAFP, has protested the dismissals, calling them unfair, while the players are reported to be seeking legal advice.

The SAFP wrote: “You have terminated the employment contracts of the players without notice by letter dated 18 March 2020. We hereby expressly protest against this termination without notice.”

The letter, issued to the Swiss club, adds: “We therefore expect you to withdraw these abusive terminations immediately and to enter into discussions on possible alternatives.”

In neighbouring Germany, Borussia Monchengladbach players agreed to take a reduction in wages in order to ensure the club could continue paying non-playing staff.

French Ligue 1 club Amiens have asked their players to consider similar measures.

In England, meanwhile, Manchester United made a pledge to their casual staff that their wages would be paid, even if the Premier League season were to be cancelled or played out behind closed doors.

Either scenario would see a drastic reduction in the incomes of part-time matchday and non-matchday staff at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have offered their hotel to health service staff in England, as have hotels owned by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs.

Lower league clubs in the UK are already suffering amid the coronavirus outbreak, with Barnet laying off all non-playing staff earlier this week.

Sion are the first club in one of Europe’s top divisions to have released playing staff though it would appear that Thursday’s announcement will not be the end of the matter. (Goal)

•PHOTO: Alex Song and Johan Djorou 

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 21, 2020


 

You may also like...
Arsenal quartet to miss Ludogorets tie

BREAKING NEWS: Croatia humiliate Argentina 3-0 to romp...

Klopp: Liverpool Not Desperate To Avenge 2018 Champions...

Aiteo Cup: We lived up to our motto...

Ruthless Bayern Must Build On Barcelona Rout, Says...

Perisic Completes Tottenham Switch

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media