Court dramas not good for SA football

Court dramas blighting SA football could turn away corporate partners and plunge it into crisis if those in charge do not revisit the rule book.

With less than a month before the start of the new season, both the Betway Premiership and the Motsepe Championship are mired in controversy over promotion and relegation identities after court challenges were lodged by Cape Town City and Sinenkani.

City, who were relegated from the PSL via play-offs, are challenging Marumo Gallants for using ineligible player Monde Mpambaniso in 26 of their matches and are demanding that they be docked points.

Reports abound that the use of the player was flagged by other clubs but somehow ignored.

City submitted records and proof that Gallants used Mpambaniso without a clearance certificate thus violating Rule 31.8.9.3 of the NSL Handbook which outlines the registration procedure for players previously in the book of another club.

 This could have been avoided had PSL administrators done  their job properly and ensured all players were  eligible

Mpambaniso was previously with National First Division outfit Leruma United who subsequently acquired Moroka Swallows’ PSL status.

And arbitrator Nazeer Cassim SC ruled in City’s favour and ordered the PSL disciplinary resolution chamber to investigate the merits of the case after the committee initially made an adverse ruling.

Should the committee also rule in City’s favour, Gallants will be the one going down but not without a protracted legal recourse of their own, plunging the league into crisis.

This could have been avoided had PSL administrators done their job properly and ensured all players were eligible.

In the Motsepe Championship, Bizana team Sinenkani approached the Eastern Cape high court to challenge Safa’s decision to disqualify the Eastern Cape and Limpopo regions from the play-offs.

Safa ruled the exclusion of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo was based on pending legal disputes affecting the two provinces though this was denied by Sinenkani.

The high court ordered the national play-offs in June to be stopped after the group stages but Safa proceeded with the semifinals and final with Gomora, The Bees and Midlands Wanderers gaining promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championships which is the national first division league.

However, Sinenkani is challenging the promotion, with the matter set to be heard in court shortly.

This could throw the start of the Motsepe Championships mid-August in disarray and deal SA football another low blow.

SA football bosses must eliminate these negative aspects and ensure officials stick to the rules.