Eyes on Raymond Hack as decision on Emiliano Sala transfer fee saga looms

The decision over the transfer fee dispute involving deceased Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala is in the hands of former South African Football Association (Safa) chief executive and Wits chairman Raymond Hack.

The much anticipated decision‚ which is expected in the coming days‚ comes about nine months after the player died in a plane crash in the English Channel.

Hack‚ in his capacity as chairman of the players’ status committee of FIFA‚ has been in Zurich hearing arguments from the legal representatives of both French club Nantes and Cardiff City who are arguing about the 17-million euro transfer fee.

The 28-year-old Argentine striker died in a plane crash while travelling from France to join his new club Cardiff who are arguing they cannot be held liable for the fee because Sala was not officially their player when he died in January.

This is despite having visited the club and signed a contract before he died.

Cardiff are arguing the transfer is null and void because the English Premier League rejected certain clauses that were requested by Nantes in the original contract and that Sala never had a chance to review or sign the final version‚ meaning he was not registered as a Premier League player.

Nantes’ counter claim is the required paperwork was completed.

The plane carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson crashed in the sea on January 21‚ two days after the players' transfer was announced.

He had travelled back to Nantes from Cardiff to say goodbye to the French club.

Hack had given the clubs until September 5 to reach a settlement in the dispute‚ but they could not find each other.

His decision in the case is much anticipated in both England and France.

Hack also serves as the chairman of disciplinary committee of the Confederation of African Football and made the recent decision that awarded the African Champions League title to Tunisia’s Esperance after the walk off in the final by opponents Wydad Casablanca.

The 69-year-old Johannesburg lawyer is also an arbitrator for WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and sits on the ethics committee of FINA‚ world swimming’s controlling body.