South African Premier Division side Richards Bay FC have been handed a transfer ban by FIFA with immediate effect after failing to honor their financial obligations towards Kenyan international Ovella Ochieng.Ovella, who made his Harambee Stars debut in 2016 and currently unattached, resorted to FIFA for his dues after initially agreeing to part away with the side last season.##NAJAVA_MECA_8028169##His last appearance for the KwaZulu-Natal outfit was in April 2023, and only came after he had been involved in eight league appearances under then head coach Vasil Manousakis.Prior to joining Richards Bay, Ovella had featured for Botswana outfit Township Rollers in 2022.Ovella Ochieng set to be released by South African side Richards Bay FCConfirming the ban, South African site SABC Sport confirmed that FIFA had “updated their records to sanction Richards Bay by not allowing them to register new players internationally and have since also written to their member federation in the South African Football Association [SAFA] to do the same from a local level as well.”With the development, Richards Bay are now the second team in South Africa’s top tier league to be banned by FIFA after Royal AM were sanctioned for failing to pay striker Samir Nurkovic and defender Ricardo Nascimento.Other sides – Polokwane City and Chippa United – have already settled payments after being flagged by FIFA.
