Mystery in Italy: Lecce player disappears – his wife continues to post from luxury hotels
Former Maccabi Petah Tikva player Lameck Banda did not show up for medical tests and the training camp, and the club does not know his whereabouts. Initially, he claimed passport issues, but simultaneously posted a video of himself playing with friends. The president attacked: "He chose the worst way."
A storm is brewing at Lecce around Lameck Banda, who did not show up for the start of training and has since disappeared. The 25-year-old Zambian winger, who was one of the standouts in the team's survival campaign last season (in which Israeli Omri Gandelman also plays), has been missing for about two weeks now – and the Italian club admits they do not know where he is or when he intends to return. Banda's contract expired in June but included a unilateral option to extend the engagement until the summer of 2027. After attempts to reach a new agreement with him were unsuccessful, Lecce activated the clause to avoid losing the player without compensation.
The affair began when the team's players showed up for medical examinations ahead of the new season, and Banda was the only one who did not arrive. His representatives explained that he was dealing with passport problems and bureaucratic matters, but at the same time, he uploaded a video to his Instagram account showing him playing soccer with friends on a dirt field. The video was deleted a few minutes later, but it had already aroused suspicion at the club. In the background is the interest of Saudi Arabia's Al-Fateh in Banda. According to reports, the team offered him a multi-year and lucrative contract, but the offer they made to Lecce was significantly lower. The club clarified that they were willing to negotiate his sale if he did not want to stay. Banda moved to Lecce from Maccabi Petah Tikva in 2022 for 1.8 million euros.
A week ago, on July 23, Banda was documented at the airport in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, and it seemed he was on his way back to Italy. However, no update has been received from him since, and he also did not join the team's training camp in Austria.
"No matter what his goal is, he chose the worst way to achieve it," said Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani.
The club has already announced that it is considering taking disciplinary action to protect its rights. The one who continues to provide clues – but not answers – is the player's wife, Avi Chatu. The two were married on June 13 and she was documented alongside him at the airport, but since then she continues to post photos on Instagram of suitcases and selfies from the lobbies of luxury hotels. Lecce remains, for now, with one question: where did Lameck Banda disappear to?
