Another legal dispute has engulfed South African football following the departure of Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane, who was linked to a commission issue of R1.25 million as a consequence of his transfer to the Iranian football club Esteghlal.

An Iranian football agent named Hamed Ghadiri has taken Mosimane's transfer to the Iranian team to court, claiming he was underpaid for his services.

Court documents obtained by the Sunday Times reveal that Ghadiri claimed to have been authorised by MT Sports Marketing and Management, the sports management firm owned by Moira Tlhagale, to initiate discussions with Esteghlal in October 2024 regarding the appointments of Mosimane and his technical team members.

Mosimane reportedly inked a contract with the Iranian club on October 18, 2024, after Ghadiri helped him get a job offer.

The dispute centers on a service agreement that Esteghlal allegedly signed, which includes an agent's fee of $100,000 (or approximately R1.6 million).

Ghadiri claims that MT Sports offered him $75,000—roughly 75% of the anticipated agency fee—for his role in facilitating the deal.

Despite performing his duties and helping to secure the deal, the agent insists he has not received the money he is entitled to.

Ghadiri allegedly also relied on a WhatsApp message that Mosimane supposedly sent on February 28, 2025, according to the court documents.

The agent asserts that Mosimane assured him that his wife would take care of everything, relieving him of any responsibility for the outstanding amount.

Furthermore, Ghadiri claims that Mosimane promised to resolve the commission issue once his dispute with Esteghlal over unpaid salary was resolved through the appropriate football channels.

A number of the agent's assertions have been challenged by MT Sports and Tlhagale, further complicating the situation.

In their response that was submitted to the Johannesburg High Court, Tlhagale and her company supposedly acknowledge that Ghadiri introduced Mosimane to Esteghlal.

On the other hand, they dispute the extent of his power, arguing that his only assignment was to enquire about the Iranian team's interest in hiring the South African coach.

They argue that he was not authorised to continue the conversation, sign any contracts, or receive payment from the agency.

The subsequent talks were allegedly overseen by Alfonso Leon Lleo, another agent registered with FIFA who worked with Tlhagale, according to the defendants.

This is the latest major disagreement involving the supposed service agreement. The document, which Ghadiri claimed proved his right to the commission, is allegedly challenged by Tlhagale and MT Sports, who claim that the relevant parties never duly signed it.

They also claim that Esteghlal's agency fee was a prerequisite to MT Sports's promised payment.

Ghadiri was not paid the money that was due to him because the Iranian club either did not pay or refused to pay the anticipated fee, as stated in their court documents.

This controversy has gained attention due to the financial issues that surround Mosimane's appointment at Esteghlal.

In January 2025, the coach and his technical staff departed from the Iranian team because their salaries had not been paid. Even though they tried to fix it, his management company still said he wasn't getting paid.

The recent judicial proceedings have brought the financial arrangements underlying the appointment to a new level of scrutiny.

At this stage, the arguments at the Johannesburg High Court center on the agent's supposed right to be paid, the power given to him, and whether or not the payment conditions were satisfied.

You can't take the allegations against MT Sports and their response as proof of wrongdoing. What obligations each party had under the contract will ultimately be determined by the court.

As a result, Mosimane's brief time as Iranian football manager is also at the heart of the R1.25 million commission dispute, the resolution of which will likely reveal who was responsible for arranging for Esteghlal to be appointed.

Source : https://x.com/TimesLIVE/status/2116733397926031650