Lameck Banda’s absence from Lecce has escalated into a complex international dispute involving the Italian Football Federation, global governing bodies, and a potential high-value move to Libyan club Al Swehli SC. According to extensive reports from Italian media outlets including la Repubblica and Sky Sport, the forward has failed to return to Italy following the summer break, leaving his club scrambling to protect its contractual rights.
The Timeline of Banda’s Disappearance from Lecce
The situation began at the conclusion of the season when the player’s contract underwent an automatic extension through June 30, 2027. Following summer vacations, the 2001-born Zambian international did not report back for medical examinations or join the team’s pre-season training camp in Austria. Initial concerns regarding his well-being subsided somewhat after videos surfaced showing him training independently in Zambia. However, communication with the club broke down entirely.
As detailed by Virgilio Sport, a representative speaking on behalf of the player to Zambian media claimed that Banda felt aggrieved by the club, alleging that Lecce took advantage of his limited familiarity with Italian to secure an agreement featuring a unilateral one-year renewal option.
Al Swehli’s Pursuit and the Libyan Connection
While the player cited ongoing logistical and bureaucratic hurdles preventing his return to Italy, reports from Libyan media indicate an alternative motive behind his prolonged stay in Africa. According to information shared publicly by Libyan journalist Muha El Gadamsi and cited by Virgilio Sport, Banda was spotted alongside a delegation from Al Swehli SC.
The Libyan club, preparing for participation in African club competitions, reportedly tabled a lucrative offer. Sources indicate Al Swehli prepared a two-year contract worth approximately a reported sum in Libyan dinars—translating to roughly 1,6 million euros per season—dwarfing earlier rejected overtures that fell below the one-million-euro threshold.
Lecce’s Urgent Intervention with FIFA and FIGC
Confronted with the prospect of losing a contracted asset to an unauthorized overseas move, Lecce’s management mobilized swiftly. Club president Saverio Sticchi Damiani dispatched formal communications to all involved stakeholders, including Lameck Banda, Al Swehli SC, the Libyan Football Association, the Football Association of Zambia, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), FIFA, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Crucially, the club sought the urgent intervention of Italian sports authorities to prevent any provisional clearance from being issued by FIFA that might enable the player to register elsewhere while under a binding European contract.
The FIGC has since backed Lecce’s position, validating the club’s strict adherence to the existing employment framework.
Next Steps and Disciplinary Review
Lecce formally addressed the crisis via an official club statement, noting that the player cited continuous logistical obstacles. The club stated it would conduct thorough internal reviews regarding the excuses provided by the forward and reserve the right to initiate disciplinary proceedings aimed at enforcing the terms of his employment agreement running until June 30, 2027.
