Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport

Fahmy listened to complaints from ASTV officials on Tuesday

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) could be forced to abandon a lucrative deal with Nigerian mobile phone company Globacom for the African football awards.

This follows claims by African Soccer Television (ASTV), a South African company which has been organising the event for the last five years, that it holds the rights until January 2006.

Caf released a statement on its website on Sunday, awarding the event to Globacom for an undisclosed sum.

Officials of the Nigerian company are expected to sign the deal with Caf in the French capital Paris on Friday.

But Gary Rathbone, an official of ASTV, told BBC Sport he met Mustapha Fahmy, Caf's general secretary, on Tuesday to discuss their objections to the deal with Globacom.

Rathbone claimed Fahmy promised to ask Caf's legal department to look into their complaint.

"According to the contract that we signed with Caf at the beginning of 2001, we still have the rights until 2006," Rathbone said.

"We intend to fulfil that contract."

According to Rathbone, the confusion over the duration of the contract came from Caf's belief that the contract ASTV signed was for five events and not five years.

Should the contract be for five editions of the award, ASTV's rights would have ended but a five-year term will mean that they are entitled to manage the event for one more year.

Eto'o won the 2004 African Footballer of the Year award

"Caf is within its rights to give it to Globacom as from 2006. The real issue is that it has jumped the gun," contends Rathbone.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding between the concepts of five events and five years.

"I don't think that Caf scrutinised the contract as closely as they should have."

Although Rathbone hopes an amicable resolution can be reached with Caf, although recourse to legal action cannot be ruled out.

"If they do not respond positively to our request, it means they do not interpret the contract the same way we do.

"It will then be a conflict that needs to be resolved."

Rathbone said ASTV intends to organise the next edition of the awards during the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Suleimanu Habuba, Caf's communications director, confirmed to BBC Sport that Fahmy met with Rathbone but did not specify what action will be taken on the complaint made by ASTV.

"Mr Rathbone came to discuss a matter with the general secretary and submit a letter," Habuba said.

"But I am not in a position to comment on the circumstances surrounding the meeting."