Royal AM bosses are relentless in their pursuit to be crowned 2020/2021 GladAfrica Championship winners and they have finally got a date for their matter to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Royal AM, who are owned by KwaZulu-Natal’s flamboyant
businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize, are challenging Safa arbitrator Hilton Epstein’s ruling that Sekhukhune be declared as the first division winners.
Sekhukhune were awarded a maximum of three points and a 3-0 result by Epstein for their match against Polokwane City, who did not comply with the NSL handbook, which states
that GladAfrica Championship clubs must-have five under-23 players on the matchday
team list.
As a result of the three points gained, Sekhukhune won automatic promotion to the PSL
and Royal AM were forced to play in the promotion/relegation play-off s against Chippa
United and Richards Bay United.
Royal AM threw a spanner in the works and refused to honour the play-off matches.
The cash-flush Mkhize then forked out about R50-million and bought the PSL status of
Bloemfontein Celtic relocated the club to KwaZulu-Natal and then renamed it Royal AM.
The first division status of Royal AM was sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).
All the parties will have to make themselves available to sit down for the CAS hearing
on Thursday, March 3 and it will be conducted virtually.
This was confirmed via a letter from CAS, which Sunday World has seen, dated February
17 that was written to all the concerned parties. Royal AM had taken the promotion/relegation saga to (CAS), the highest court in sport, which is based in Switzerland.
CAS has granted the club leave to appeal and the PSL and Sekhukhune United
FC is opposing the matter as respondents.
“Yes, the letter from CAS says that the matter is set down for 3 March,” said Leruma
Thobejane, the legal representative of Royal AM.
“Our contention is that arbitrator Hilton Epstein’s award was factually and legally incorrect
and we want that award to be set aside and then the flow of logic and natural consequence
must take place. This means that those three points and three goals that were given
to Sekhukhune United FC must be taken back – and then what should happen, Royal
AM must be the champions of the GladAfrica Championship. They must get the winners’
trophy, the gold medal and the appropriate prize money for champions,” Thobejane said.
“On March 3, it will be a preliminary hearing for the CAS panel to make an assessment regarding whether they should issue a preliminary decision on the issues raised by the PSL and Sekhukhune .”
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