By terminating the contract of their skipper Patrick Tignyemb for an alleged "abusive rant" without even hauling him to a disciplinary committee, cash-strapped Bloemfontein Celtic could find themselves on the wrong books of Fifa.

As a foreigner, Tignyemb's matter will head straight to world football's controlling body and Celtic would be expected to pay the departed goalkeeper the remainder of his contract.

Taking Celtic's financial woes into consideration, this issue is likely to be a protracted affair and mimic the case involving AmaZulu and Namibian player Phineas Nambandi.

Should the Mangaung club fail to pay Tignyemb, they risk suffering the same fate as Usuthu, who were docked six points for refusing to pay Nambandi after terminating his deal in 2014. The Durban club subsequently forked out more than R1m to compensate the player.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, SA Football Players Union (Safpu) president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe confirmed they were studying the matter, believing there are irregularities.

"I am not going to pre-empt but justice must be served. We will have to look at the merits, but from where we are sitting, we think proper processes were not followed in firing him," Gaoshubelwe said.

For what Celtic chief executive Khumbulani Konco branded an "abusive rant", the club nullified Tignyemb's contract on Monday, ending his 11-year stay at the club.

He still had two years left on his contract as it was due to expire at the end of June 2021. As the captain, the Cameroon-born keeper was representing the players in engaging management about outstanding bonuses.

While Konco was not reached for comment yesterday, on Monday, speaking to Sowetan's digital platforms, he painted a violent picture of Tignyemb, implying he was not representing his teammates.

"Patrick came to the office, alone, around 3pm or 4pm. And then whatever altercation he had at the office, that was what resulted in him being [fired]," Konco was quoted as saying.

Tignyemb has disclosed that he wanted to appear before the DC but the club denied him that opportunity.

He said he would challenge the dismissal via Fifa.

"There was no DC. nothing. Even if you killed a person, you go to court and the judge asks you 'why'? Then you are sentenced.

"I asked for a DC, but they refused and I said 'thank you very much; please pay me my money'. I will fight them through Fifa," Tignyemb, 33, said.