Congo's DC Virunga block Sina's move to Rayon Sport

DR Congo side DC Virunga has blocked the transfer of striker Sina Jerome who was recently signed by Rayon Sports on a two-year deal from Police. Initially, Virunga loaned Sina to Police for one season and he featured for the club in the League, Peace Cup as well as the Cecafa Kagame Club Championship last season. The loan deal was extended in September for another year. However, when Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) took a decision recently to weed out naturalised players who attained Rwandan citizenship illegally, Police FC took a decision to offload many players including Sina, Moussa Habimana, Moussa Mutuyimana, Peter Kagabo and Fredrick Ndaka. In doing so, Police FC terminated Sina’s contract which still had a year and sold him together with Mutuyimana to Rayon Sport for a combined fee of Rwf 17million. However, Sina refused to move to the Blues after failing to agree personal terms with the Blues. The Striker asked for Rwf 3m which the Nyanza based side is not willing to give. Rayon Sports did not verify whether Sina’s contract between Police and DC Virunga, was a loan deal and that Police could not sell the player without permission from DC Virunga. Police FC Spokesperson CIP Jean de Dieu Mayira said that they informed DC Virunga before selling the player. “We talked to Virunga since our club does not use foreign players. They gave us permission to sell him and it was only Rayon Sport who showed interest,”Mayira said adding that there shouldn’t be any issues between the player and the new club. However, DC Virunga Secretary General, Lofimbo Maombi, told local media that Sina is still their player and that his former club Police FC never informed them of the player’s loan transfer to Rayon Sport. Maombi said, “Sina is the one who told us that he had been loaned to Rayon Sports and in our contract with Police, he is not supposed to be loaned anywhere without our approval. Police never told us anything regarding the state of the player,” “We expect Sina to return back after one year as agreed in our contract because we have so many clubs (Sanga Balende, DC Motema Pembe and TP Mazembe) interested in his services,” added Maombi. Rayon Sports has now asked Police to ensure that the striker joins Nyanza-based club as agreed in the contract they signed recently or else be refunded the money they spent on him. Sina’s move to Rayon Sports can only be facilitated by DC Virunga if Police FC asks for their intervention.