The conduct of taking football disputes to courts has become prevalent over the past few years in South Africa. It’s tiring. It’s downright nauseating, to put it mildly.
Even the PSL, the very custodians of our professional football and an organisation whose sole reason for existence is to ensure our soccer is never brought into disrepute, is guilty of running to the courts.
Sporting conflicts derive mainly from what happens on the field of play, and both the national controlling body, Safa and the PSL have rules and regulations emanating from the Fifa statutes. The statutes govern how the sport should be played and how disputes should be resolved.
A case in point is the never-ending saga involving the PSL and Kaizer Chiefs after the club reported being hit by more than 30 Covid-19 cases that escalated to 50 cases in December, and they were unable to fulfil two league fixtures.
Chiefs initially asked the PSL to postpone five of their league fixtures as the cases involved players, technical staff members and management, leading to their Naturena village in the south of Jozi closing down.
Amakhosi were charged by the PSL disciplinary committee (DC) for failing to honour the two matches, with the league citing its Covid-19 rules that clearly state the pandemic cannot be advanced as the reason for a no-show for matches, a situation that would have led to Chiefs forfeiting six points.
Feeling hard done by, the Glamour Boys’ management resorted to taking the matter for arbitration, resulting in Safa arbitrator Nazeer Cassim SC ordering the two matches to be played. The latest in the incessant epic is that the PSL was so incensed with the arbitration outcome that it has taken the matter to the high court for a review, adding salt to Chiefs’ already gaping wound.
Can you beat that one?
Chiefs lambasted the league, saying they were “shocked and bewildered” that the league had decided to take the matter to the high court.
What will the outcome of this protracted sporting matter be if Amakhosi also exercise their “democratic right” and file counter papers at the high court.
The answer is simple, we will have another long-drawn-out case similar to the National First Division promotion/relegation case involving Royal AM and Sekhukhune United that ended up being heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
The repercussions are that the high court case could delay the conclusion of the 2021/22 season. I’m done with the PSL and their obsession with courts.
I rest my case.
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