Johannesburg – At the rate things are going, the start of the new PSL season next month is likely to be delayed further because of the protracted promotion/relegation standoff between the league and Royal AM.
Yesterday, the PSL disciplinary committee was locked in a marathon hearing but the matter was postponed, yet again, and will be heard next Saturday at 10am.
Said PSL prosecutor Nande Becker yesterday: “Their application to postpone was dismissed. Mpofu immediately applied for a further postponement on the basis that Shauwn Mkhize was in bed following a Covid- 19 inoculation and he could not get “instructions” as to how to plead to the numerous misconduct charges against Royal AM. The application was opposed by the prosecutor but, was granted by the disciplinary committee on compassionate grounds. The matters will proceed at 10h00 next Saturday.”
Among the charges, one will be for bringing the league into disrepute for failing to honour their four promotion/relegation fixtures last month.
The new season is to kickoff in early August with the MTN8 quarterfinals and league matches a week after, but Royal AM have promised to fight tooth and nail and are on record saying that they will take the matter to the highest sports court in the world, the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland.
The matter was supposed to have been heard last week Saturday but the Royal AM lawyers asked for a postponement‚ which was granted, and was heard yesterday.
Royal AM are adamant in their stance that they should get automatic promotion to the PSL after claiming that they “finished number one” on the GladAfrica Championship table.
Sekhukhune United were officially declared the winners of the first division league after a court ruling.
A Safa arbitrator ruled in favour of Sekhukhune and awarded them three points in February after Polokwane City failed to field the required number of Under-23 players.
Becker said last week: “The club brought an application for a postponement without the necessary documentation. As a result, and in the best interest of justice, they have been given an opportunity to file the required papers and the matter will be heard next Saturday (yesterday).”
But yesterday, the proceedings went on until late afternoon, and a decision was not reached.
Royal AM refused to honour their play-off s matches against Chippa United and Richards Bay FC after an interdict said that play-off s must not go ahead, pending appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Without Royal AM, the Chilli Boys strolled to victory and retained their PSL status.
Three weeks ago, Royal AM lawyers were pushing for acting PSL CEO Mato Madlala to be imprisoned.
“Our view is that the PSL have acted against the order of Judge Nyathi… We are ordering that the second respondent (Mato Madlala) be committed to imprisonment for a period of 30 days, wholly suspended.”
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