Amazulu set to pay big FIFA debt to secure PSL status

Amazulu will have to dig deep to make up the points they lost during the rest of the season. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Amazulu will have to dig deep to make up the points they lost during the rest of the season. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Published Sep 29, 2018

Share

Amazulu are set to pay R1 086m in their quest to secure their Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

On Friday, Usuthu, were docked 6 points after failing to comply with the Fifa ruling.

AmaZulu were found guilty of breaching the contract of the Namibian, Phinheas Nambandi by Fifa's desciplinary committee.

Nambandi was on the books of Usuthu in 2014 but his three year contract was cut short.

The Namibian together with the South African Football Player's Union proceeded with the matter to Fifa and Usuthu were found guilty last year.

Usuthu appealed the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport but the decision was upheld.

AmaZulu were set the deadline of September 16 to settle the amount of R1 086m and the club ignored the deadline and as the result they were docked six points on Friday.

Spokesperson at the club, Brilliant Mkhathini, confirmed that the club will settle the amount of R1 086m to Fifa to avoid more strong sanction. 

"As club we are saying it is unfair for us to pay this amount of money but anyways we have to pay it. We will pay it because if we don't pay it there will be strong actions taken against us. If we've been docked points then the next sanction will be even worse, " Mkhathini stated yesterday. 

Usuthu are facing relegation if they don't settle their debt to Fifa. The club is currently languishing at the bottom of the table with one points after six games. 

The home games they won against Baroka FC and Free State Stars were reserved which means they have now lost two games at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi and drawn one against Mamelodi Sundowns. 

"We feel it unfair for us to pay this amount of money because AmaZulu Football Club are no longer the same company that was found to have breached the Fifa rules. We are under the new company now and we wanted to find common grounds to deal with this matter in an amicably way. Unfortunately this has happened. We won't press any panic buttons. The Team will continue to fight, " he added.

Usuthu will face Maritzburg United at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi in the KwaZulu-Natal derby on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the battle of the maximum points. 

"As I said we will pay the money and also consult with our legal team. I'm sure the coach (Cavin Johnson) will keep the boys motivated. We were more in similar situations last season and we came back strong. We are hoping for the same response this time around, " Mkhathini explained.

Last season, Usuthu were kicked out of the top 8 after Ajax Cape Town were docked points. 

That benefited SuperSport United who replaced AmaZulu in the top 8. Usuthu came back strong this season despite that setback. 

@minenhlecr7

IOL Sport

Related Topics: