Under pressure Xamax boss Chagaev sends entire squad on gardening leave

By Andrew Warshaw

January 25 – The controversial President of beleaguered Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax, Bulat Chagaev, has put his entire squad on gardening leave pending the outcome of an appeal against being kicked out of the Swiss league, according to reports.

Last week the club, who’s honorary President is none other than FIFA President Sepp Blatter, were thrown out of the Swiss league and stripped of their licence less than a year after being taken over by the Chechen businessman Chagaev who took control from controversial Swiss entrepreneur Sylvio Bernasconi.

The ruling was taken after the club were suspected of using a falsified bank document as a financial guarantee last year.

Two-time Swiss champions Xamax already face an eight-point penalty imposed after it failed to pay its players’ wages and social insurance in September and October last year.

Swiss reports said the entire squad were now “on holiday” until Jan 29 but that the club’s appeal against being kicked out was almost certain to fail.

That would mean they would not be able to play when the Swiss league resumes after the winter break in the first week of February.

“For me the situation is clear – Xamax has trained for the last time,” club spokesman Raoul Savoy was quoted as saying.

The club’s French goalkeeper Jean-François Bedenik went even further.

“We are free to join another – if we can find one,” he said.

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