A rift has erupted between national trainer Samuel Matete and his employers, the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA), over a contract difference.

Matete, who was in May, this year given a two-year coaching contract as national trainer to coach youths at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) under the ZAAA programme, has to this date not performed his duties, it has been learnt.

In an interview yesterday, Matete said he had not yet signed the contract availed to him by the country's amateur athletics body because some clauses were not clear and that it would be meaningless to start working without signing the contract.

The 1996 Silver medalists at the Atlanta Olympic Games said he was willing to render his services to the country in as far as improving the level of athletes was concerned but that ZAAA had a significant role to play in order to realise that dream.

Matete further said he had not received any salary from the time he was engaged by ZAAA and demanded that the truth be told by the association.

"Of course, I was appointed but there are some issues in the contract that are not clear and they have to be clarified before I can start work. I have not signed the contract yet and I am waiting for ZAAA to get back to me regarding the unclear provisions in the contract," he said.

But ZAAA president Elias Mpondela, when contacted, said the association would soon issue a comprehensive statement regarding the matter.

"There is a lot of things that the nation needs to know about this whole issue and we will issue a comprehensive statement so that Zambians know the truth," Mpondela said.