DURBAN – Royal AM have been issued a R4 million fine by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) disciplinary committee for failing to play any of their relegation/promotion play-off games.
The amount includes a penalty of R1 million for each match that they did not play but R700 000 (or a total of R2.8 million) will be suspended for two years.
This means that the Durban based club will only need to pay R1.2 million immediately.
Royal AM were also awarded a sanction of 12 points though that is also suspended for a further 12 months as long as they abide by the rules for all of their official games.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal based side failed to participate in any of their relegation/promotion play-off fixtures during the off season. This came amidst Royal AM’s controversial court case as they sought to be awarded first place in last season’s GladAfrica Championship which would have seen them awarded automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership.
Royal AM attained top-flight status by buying the status of the now defunct Bloemfontein Celtic while they sold their GladAfrica Championship status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila who have since been replaced in the top-flight by Marumo Gallants.
"The club was found guilty of all charges of misconduct against it arising from its failure to honour its fixtures against Chippa United FC and Richard’s Bay FC which were to be played from June 19 to 30," the PSL statement read.
"All four matches which it was obliged to participate in but failed to do were awarded to their opponents with a 3:0 goal difference.
"Royal AM was fined the maximum fine in terms of the NSL Rules, being R1m per match (total R4m) with R700 000 of each fine (total R2.8m) suspended for two years on the condition that during the period of suspension it did not fail to honour any NSL fixtures.
"The club was further sanctioned with a deduction of three points for each game not played (12 points in total) for the current season. This deduction was also suspended for one year on the condition that during the period of suspension it did not fail to honour any NSL fixtures.
"Royal AM FC was ordered to pay all the costs of the sittings in the four matters."
IOL Sport