Amazulu have won record damages against former midfielder Mohammed Awal-Issah after the player abandoned the club earlier this season in breach of his contract.

The Premier Soccer League’s Disciplinary Resolution Chamber ordered that Awal-Issah pay the Durban club over R1.7-million in damages within a month and also imposed a four-month playing ban of the Ghanaian that will be effective worldwide from the moment he signs another contract.

Usuthu claim Awal-Issah is in breach of a contract that he signed with the club up until June 2016 after the 27-year-old simply walked out on the team last November and their award from the DRC is a landmark case in South African football.

“The PSL Disciplinary Resolution Chamber ruled that the Ghanaian international breached the contract between him and AmaZulu and upheld Usuthu’s claim for damages,” the club confirmed in a statement.

“The PSL DRC ordered Issah to pay AmaZulu damages of more than R1,7 million within one month of notification of the award to the parties. Should Issah fail to pay this amount within one month or should the amount remain unpaid, any club that he will join in future will be liable to pay this amount to the club.

“The PSL DRC also imposed sporting sanctions on Issah. This means Issah will be banned from playing official games for the next club he joins for a period of four months from the date his registered to play for that club.”

After the DRC ruled that Fifa be notified of the findings and in the hope that they will be endorsed, it will mean that Issah will be unable to play professionally for any club in the world until he meets the conditions of the award.

“The PSL DRC’s award is precedent-setting in South African football and Usuthu look forward to Issah complying with award,” the club continued in their statement.

Awal-Issah’s return to Usuthu for a second spell was already shrouded in controversy after his former side Rosenborg in Norway claimed no knowledge of the transfer when it was announced through media reports in July last year.