CAPE TOWN - MUTINOUS GladAfrica Championship club Royal AM will finally get their comeuppance as they reportedly will face the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee to answer charges stemming from their no-shows in four promotion-relegation matches last month.
Their date with fate will be on Saturday and the PSL’s legal eagles have set aside a full day for the matter.
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For several weeks now, the play-off’s saga has swung to and fro like a pendulum since well-heeled Royal AM owner Shauwn Mkhize took on the might of the PSL by challenging arbitration and court outcomes.
Her flamboyant social media posts went a long way to suggest the PSL were dealing with a powerhouse of note.
“My gloves are off,” she declared at one stage after the PSL were unable to impose their might on the saga.
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“Whatever happens, we are (National First Division) champions. If we don’t win the case, the League won’t start on time (next season).”
Over the past week, Mkhize’s bombastic comments have given way to stony silence, and this may have been a tell-tale sign that she has come to terms with failing to gain automatic promotion to the Premiership for her club. Her wishful thinking may have come about as a result of bad legal advice.
It might be that Royal AM were led up the proverbial garden path by the comments of PSL acting chief executive Mato Madlala at a gala dinner hosted by eThekwini Municipality to honour the three local KwaZulu-Natal professional clubs in mid-June.
When touching on the contentious matter of the play-offs she said: “This is not a scandal. This shows our judiciary is respected and allows people to raise their views.
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“It is a freedom of expressing yourself. We encourage that. We don’t dictate. We say if you feel like you not happy with the decision, it’s your right to appeal the decision until you are satisfied.
“In football, there’s a law that protects everyone, and we don’t dictate. It will be a sad day for football if we decide to dictate.
ALSO READ: Defiant Royal AM in back-to-back no-shows on their home patch
“Even in murder cases, the sentences most of the time takes longer, even six months. Everyone has a right to get a postponement.”
It is safe to say that Madlala’s comments at the time were akin to pouring fuel on a runaway fire.
What seems clear now is that Royal AM have blown any chance of overturning the verdict to award Sekhukhune United automatic promotion.
The PSL’s image has been severely tarnished and they will likely come down hard on Royal AM.
@Herman_Gibbs
IOL Sport