Springbok Sevens player Lionel Mapoe has lost his bid to be released from his contract at the Free State Cheetahs.
Sport24 and SuperSport
Mapoe must now arrive in Bloemfontein by Thursday and present himself at the regular Cheetahs practice session, where he is likely to meet with the team management to plot the way forward after a contractual dispute that has lasted for months now.
Mapoe cited problems with his salary as the reason he wanted to leave, and requested, through his agent, Jan-Harm van Wyk a release certificate from the Cheetahs so that he could take up a more lucrative offer from the Sharks.
Mapoe even went as far as to start training with the Sharks for the past few months pending the outcome of the dispute, which was finally handed down on Wednesday.
Advocate Bertus van Rhyn ruled that the Cheetahs have a valid contract with the winger, and that he will have to return to Bloemfontein to play as stated in his contract.
Free State president Harold Verster said he was overjoyed by the result.
“It is great that the arbitration process proved what we knew all along, that we have a valid contract with Lionel,” Verster said.
“He now needs to get back to Bloemfontein today or tomorrow and rejoin the team. He needs to get his head right and play.”
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske also was happy with the result.
“It hopefully sends out a strong message to players that they need to honour their contracts, but we are very happy that we were right all along and that we had a valid contract with him,” Drotske added.
The Sharks weren’t available for comment.
Mmmmm, interesting…. but contracts are contracts.. and should be honoured!
Skelm Tjarks !!!
Plenty amounts of mud on Mapoe’s and the Tjarks faces now !!!
Sharky-forever, we had this discussion and you said lets wait for the ruling…
Well, it’s here now…
Why can the Sharks not just wait until the transfer “window” is open and then approach players?
I hope that they now play by the rules.
3@ Loosehead:
The question now, of course, in light of this ruling is…. Can and will the Sharks be taken to task for this indiscretion of talking to and corrupting players in contravention of the transfer windows and rules which apply.
They could be in a real spot of bother….
@ grootblousmile:
Relegate the bastards to the Vodacom Cup and CC 2nd division.
What will happen to Mapoe ?
Can’t get a good old “bakoond” from players anymore…
What will the spirit in the camp be towards him ?
Will he get game time ?
His loyalty surely is suspect…
Well I think a contract has to be respected and seen out. A contract should never be broken.
Saying that the Sharks release players early when they want to leave. What is the point keeping a player if he does not want to play for that franchise anymore?
Mapoe will now have to go back and face the music and play with the Cheetahs again after training with the Sharks for a few months. Not sure how much he is going to fit in now. No good a franchise keeping a player that really does not want to play for you, you can see that by Mapoe must have felt that way having already training with the Sharks.
A great player and will be a Bok for sure. Good luck Mapoe all the best. Hope Cheetahs pay you what you really worth.
@ Puma:
What’s the use of a contract if players can come and go like they please ?
Mapoe were happy with the contract when he signed it with the Cheetahs…
He and the Sharks are to blame for this, both parties ( read Mapoe & Sharks ) went about this business in a very unprofessional manner.
Remember, the Bulls were also interested in his services, but when they learned he was still under contract they backed off…
bwahahahahahahahahahahahah! So wat bwahahahahahahahahahahaha sorry shar bwahahahahahahahahah ks ek dink dat bwahahahahahahahahah sorry kan nie ophou nie shoe hoe slaan die klein ammateur unie die mighty thiefes bloedbek bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
9@ smallies72:
Ek’t nogal gedog hierdie Artikel gaan jou uit lok…..
@ Blouste:8 – Blouste from what I have read it was Mapoe that approched the Sharks not the other way round. Still though Sharks should not have accepted him until his contract was seen out with the Cheetahs. I do believe for players to see out their contracts but some don’t. Sharks let Ruan and Frans Steyn go early. They asked and we said yes. What is the point keeping a player if he no longer wants to play for that union?
Now Mapoe has to go back and train with the Cheetah players. You can be sure none of them will like that much. What kind of atmosphere will be there now among players and coaches towards him? Think it wont be a nice situation to be in.
How long is his contract with the Cheetahs still?
Anyhow from what I read the Cheetahs were paying him peanuts. He is worth so much more. So really hoping they pay him what he is worth.
Good luck to him and hope he becomes a Bok too. He is a fantastic player. Once his contract is over with Cheetahs hope the Sharks then contract him legally.
@ Puma:
Mapoe would never have been in the situation had the Sharks respected the valid contract between him and his Union. If there is any bad blood it is as a direct result of the Sharks and their greed.
Fukken Poachers, go play voetsie voetsie with the Lions / WP and Bulls players! 😆
@ Puma:
There is a big difference when the union releases a player to go and play for an overseas club rather than another local franchise.
I know of no province that will do that.
Fact is, even if they do…it’s exactly that, both parties agreed to the release.
In this case Mapoe ran like a thief in the night and the Sharks try to help him with this.
It was reported that the Bulls were prepared to give him R1.4 mil, but when they found out he was still contracted they withdrew.
Why did’nt the Sharks do the same ?
They were trying to pull a fast one like they did on the Lions.
To me it speaks volumes of being unethical and not trustworthy form the Sharks union.
I wont even comment on Mapoe himself, since I’ve already mentioned that when he signed the last contract with VRU he and his agnt was happy with it.
Pathetic realy….
The nature of ALL contracts does not only revolve around the rights and obligations of the parties involved… but also that parties should at all times show “Good Faith” towards one another and towards contracts between third parties…
That is the correct and moral stance….
One thing – Mapoe is a very talented player and before this debacle I said I would love to see him in the Bulls setup…
But if this is the way he goes around with his business, I for one don’t want him anywhere near the Bulls setup thank you very much.
@ Loosehead: 😆 Don’t worry we will come for him once his contract is over……hehehehe.
Serious Sharks should have waited until his contract was over. BUT he was getting paid peanuts really and that is a damn shame for such a great player. No wonder he wanted out. I know I would have. Anyhow how will the situation be there now? He has trained with the Sharks for a few months. Think we paid his medical bills too. Will there be a atmosphere from the coaches and players towards him? I think there could be. Not a nice situation to be in.
@ Blouste:16 – So Blouste what does Mapoe get paid at the Cheetahs? I heard it was peanuts. No wonder he ran like a thief in the night….. 😆 He will leave as soon as his contract is over. You can’t pay a player that rubbish if he is worth so much more. Just look how much the Bulls wanted him by making a offer of 1.4 million.
Anyhow good luck to Mapoe. A great player and Cheetahs MUST pay him what he is worth.
Sharks should be slammed with a moer of a BOETE !!! 👿
Surely there must be repercussions with a situation like this…
@ Puma:
He is / was on about R200 000 per year. Not exactly peanuts for a 23 year old.
@ Blouste:15 – Blouste, Don’t worry he wont be in the Bulls set up so your mind can rest now.. 😆 He is back at the Cheetahs and eventually will return to the Sharks no doubt. We will have him back for sure. So you have no worries about your bulls if they don’t need him he wont head that way!!
@ Puma:
The information I’ve got is that Mapoe was payed as a junior player at the Cheetahs, he came through the ranks there.
There were then a dispute about his salary ( the peanuts you refer to ).
Mapoe and the VRU then sat around the table and worked out a new contract with him this year – wich he accepted…
After that the whole debacle started…
So he has no ground to stand on…
@ Loosehead:19 – Loosehead, That is peanuts for a 23 year old. Go look what the soccer 23 year olds earn? The Golf 23 year old earn? The rugby 23 year old Frans Steyn earns? I know all those have done far more in their rugby but Mapoe is a magnificent talent. You pay for talent. R200 000 for me is peanuts buddy for a damn fine player you pay more. Bulls were going to pay him 1.4million now compare that to R200 000 it is peanuts. Not sure what the Sharks were going to pay him but it would have been a damn lot better than R200 000 otherwise he would not have wanted to stay. We also paid his medical bills as far as I have read.
17@ Puma:
Puma, who’s fault is it that Mapoe was paid peanuts…. remember he was contracted before he became a star…
Surely the onus was on the willing Mapoe and his willing agent, Jan-Harm van Wyk to have negotiated a better Agreement with the Cheetahs, including a clause that if he reaches a certain standing or level that he would be compensated better…. alternatively they should have contracted for a shorter duration of time…
Nobody stuck a gun to Mapoe’s head…
It certainly is NOT the Free State Cheetahs fault, neither does it give ANYBODY the right to breach SA Rugby Regulations and / or Contract windows….
This should be a warning and at the same time a lesson to players, Unions and agents…. and the Sharks should not feel aggrieved if they are taken to task on this issue….
@ Blouste:21 – Well he has to go back and face the music. Will the coaches and players feel great to have him back? I think not. They will think he is a traitor of sorts. The atmosphere not going to be really nice there. But he will have to ride it now until his contract is over.
@ Blouste:
Thank you!
[FLUCK I needed a Bull to help me out!]
@ grootblousmile:23 – gbs, Sharks don’t feel aggrieved. We probably feel sad to see him go but not angry about it. We can wait he will see his contract out and maybe he will be back at the Sharks one day.
Now enough of Mapoe. I have said my bit.
Out of here now. It is becoming heated I think. Cheers.
@ Loosehead:
🙂
We Bulls are glad to help if you Cheaters stutter a bit 😆
26@ Puma:
Not heated at all… my question is what will the Sharks do if there is now a FORMAL COMPLAINT lodged against the Sharks Union… for breach of SARU Regulations….
I’m really interested to see what will happen to Sharks now…
They illegaly used/stole this player for a couple of months…
How will they be punished ? It is after all quite a serious offence I would say.
Tjorts Puma.
And no, the Sharks can’t be angry, you are quite right although ASHAMED springs to mind 😯
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