CAPE TOWN – At a hearing on Wednesday evening, the Premier Soccer League's Disciplinary Committee have found Royal AM guilty of failing to honour their promotion-relegation playoff fixtures.
The mutinous First Division KZN-based club Royal AM boycotted their four playoff fixtures against Chippa United and Richards Bay. The Premiership side Chippa United won the playoffs mini-league and retained their DStv Premiership status for the new season.
Royal AM claimed they won the First Division's GladAfrica Championship even after rivals Sekhukhune United FC won a court case and were awarded three match points which declared them GladAfrica Championship winners.
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After that mounted several protracted court actions to declare them lawful GladAfrica Championship winners, but nothing came of their exhaustive efforts.
The all-important three match points that proved the eventual GladAfrica Championship decider stemmed from a matter when Polokwane City were found guilty of falling foul of the playing rules. Polokwane's opponents at the time followed all the correct procedures after playing the match under protest.
Weeks later the Disciplinary Committee correctly stripped Polokwane of the points but mysteriously failed to award it to Sekhukhune. Later, at subsequent Disciplinary Committee hearings, Sekhukhune were awarded the points.
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It is not known why the Disciplinary Committee did not perform a basic function in the first place.
All that remains now is for the Disciplinary Committee to decide if any punishments would be meted out to Royal AM.
Wednesday evening's hearing in front of the Disciplinary Committee was postponed twice after requests from Royal AM’s legal representatives.
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Recently, the PSL released fixtures for the new season, and Sekhukhune have been included in the Premiership. Royal AM features in the First Division.
IOL Sport