Johannesburg – Royal AM will finally know their fate on Wednesday, August 11 when the PSL disciplinary committee (DC) will deliver its judgment in a case of bringing the League into disrepute against the Durban club.
The DC sat for the third time on Saturday to deliberate on Royal AM’s case of having not honoured their four PSL promotion-relegation playoff matches last month and if found guilty could be asked to pay a fine or at the worst, be expelled from the League.
The DC seems certain to uphold the rule of the NSL handbook for a no-show by a team that a 3-0 win be awarded to the opposition.
PSL prosecutor Nande Becker told Sunday World that the DC “finding will be released on 11 August”.
But many believe Becker could push for a heavy fine.
The DC does not have the power to expel a club but can recommend such drastic action to come before the PSL’s board of governors.
The DC sat for the third time in Johannesburg yesterday to hear the case against Royal AM after the club was charged with bringing the league into disrepute, among other charges.
Royal AM has stood its ground, arguing that they should get automatic promotion to the top flight DStv Premiership because they won the national first division league on the field of play, before the now-promoted Sekhukhune United was awarded three points following their protest.
The three points elevated Sekhukhune to position one on the log after Safa arbitrator advocate Hilton Epstein SC ruled in favour of Sekhukhune against their match-day opponents, Polokwane City, who failed to include five Under-23 players on their team sheet in January.
The second tier club, owned by flamboyant businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize and his son Andile Mpisane, is adamant that they finished number one on the GladAfrica Championship standings and should be declared champions.
The first DC sitting two weeks ago was postponed after both parties reached an agreement that Royal AM must submit more evidence, in the form of documents.
Last Saturday, the club’s legal representative advocate Dali Mpofu applied for a further postponement on the basis that Mkhize was in bed following a Covid-19 vaccination and he (Mpofu) could not get instructions as to how to plead.
In another development, Royal AM’s attorney Eric Mabuza said on Friday they will approach the Constitutional Court for a reprieve, according to reports.
This comes after South Gauteng Judge Leonie Windell on Monday dismissed with costs the KwaZulu-Natal club attempt to have PSL CEO Mato Madlala be jailed for contempt of court.
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