ERIC ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye could take legal action against his former club, Rayon Sports, for ‘unfair and illegal’ firing in June. It believed that the former skipper has first sought to resolve the matter amicably with the club but if negotiations fail, the Blues will be taken to court, which would cost them around Rwf15m. Times Sportalso understands that the former APR goalie is open to play for Rayon Sports again, should the club pay him all his salary dues, amounting to Rwf2.5m. The rift between Bakame, 30, and Rayon Sports escalated since last week when Rayon Sports included him on their 28-player squad for the 2018/2019 season. Bakame was indefinitely suspended by the club in June, allegedly for faking injury and conspiring against his own team to lose so as to engineer the sacking of then head coach Ivan Minneart. Speaking to Times Sport on Tuesday, Rayon Sports Secretary General, Bernard Itangishaka, revealed that there are ongoing negotiations between the player’s lawyers and those of the club so he can be compensated before featuring for the club again. “He (Bakame) is on our squad for 2018-19 season, hopefully he will be able to play for us in a week’s time. Our lawyers and his are currently discussing his compensation and we are confident it won’t take long,” said Itangishaka. The veteran goalkeeper accuses Rayon Sports of ‘unfairly and illegally’ firing him in the course of last season and barring him from signing for any other club since he was not given a contract termination letter or any other official document to justify his dismissal. “We are committed to burry the hatchet and focus on the future. If I’m paid all they owe me, I am ready to play for them again. I am a professional footballer, and am willing to leave behind what happened,” Bakame told this publication in a separate interview. Roberto Oliveira’s Rayon Sports got off to a positive start to the new season with a 1-0 away win over Etincelles last Saturday, and will be hosting Mukura on match-day 2 at Kigali Stadium on Sunday. It will be the two sides’ first meeting since August 12 when Mukura beat Rayon 3-1 in penalty shootouts, following a goalless draw, to lift this year’s Peace Cup title at Kigali Stadium. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
