Emmanuel Eboue banned: Sunderland defender's contract terminated after one-year suspension from football

The 32-year-old Ivory Coast international has been suspended for failing to pay debts owed to a former agent

Sunderland's announcement of Emmanuel Eboue's transfer (safc.com)

Sunderland have terminated Emmanuel Eboué's contract following his one-year ban from all football-related activity.

The 32-year-old defender, who arrived at the Stadium of Light on a free transfer just 22 days ago, has been suspended by world governing body Fifa for failing to settle a debt with his former agent Sébastien Boisseau.

The dispute predates Eboué's transfer to the Black Cats and, according to a club statement, the Ivory Coast international did not make Sunderland aware of the matter upon signing.

"The suspension relates to a monetary dispute between the player and a former agent, which precedes his time at Sunderland AFC and was not something that the club was made aware of by the player," the Wearside club's statement read.

"Eboué signed a contract with Sunderland AFC until the end of the current season and the club has therefore given notice of its intention to terminate the contract. The player has two weeks in which to appeal this decision."

Eboué, who was yet to make his debut for Sunderland, ​will serve the full year-long ban unless he pays the total outstanding amount owed to Boisseau before his suspension elapses.

The former Arsenal and Galatasaray full-back was fined around £20,000 in September 2014 for failing to pay Boisseau on time. Eboué then did not settle his debt in a subsequent 120-day grace period, after which Boisseau requested a one-year ban be applied to his former client.

Eboué appealed against the suspension, enforced by Fifa's disciplinary committee, but his case was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“Following the expiry of the final deadline granted, Mr Boisseau requested that the one-year ban be imposed on Mr Eboué in accordance with the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee,” read a statement issued by Fifa.

“The relevant parties, including The Football Association which has been requested to implement said ban, have been informed accordingly,” it added.