PSL to appeal judgment in ongoing Ajax/Ndoro saga
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We (the PSL) arrived at a conclusion that the judgement that was handed down must be appealed, Irvin Khoza said. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix We (the PSL) arrived at a conclusion that the judgement that was handed down must be appealed, Irvin Khoza said. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
JOHANNESBURG – The Premier Soccer League (PSL) will appeal Judge Fisher’s judgment on the Tendai Ndoro saga and they are confident that the 2018/19 season will start in time next month.
This was confirmed by the PSL’s chairman, Irvin Khoza, on Thursday after an emergency executive committee meeting at the league’s offices in Parktown.
Judge Fisher, at the Gauteng High Court, set aside Advocate William Mokhari’s ruling that had found Ajax Cape Town guilty on five charges of misconduct arising from the fielding of Ndoro who was deemed ineligible to play.
Fifa rules state that a player can be registered for three clubs in a season but can only play for two clubs. Ajax was Ndoro’s third club in a single season after representing Orlando Pirates and Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly. Mokhari’s ruling saw Polokwane City, SuperSport United and Platinum Stars given three points for the matches they came up against Ajax with Ndoro on the field. That ruling led to the Urban Warriors’ relegation to the first division. But they fought the matter and were handed a lifeline by Judge Fisher’s judgement.
That judgment, however, doesn’t take Ajax out of the woods just yet. The judgment set aside Mokhari’s ruling as it deemed him to not have the “jurisdiction to determine the issue of Mr Ndoro’s eligibility to be fielded in the affected matches.”
Judge Fisher's judgement doesn’t take Ajax and CEO Ari Efstathiou out of the woods just yet as it only set aside Mokhari’s ruling. Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Judge Fisher said that the matter must be taken to Fifa’s Player Status Committee. That committee is governed by Fifa rules, the ones Ajax broke.
“We arrived at a conclusion that the judgment that was handed down must be appealed,” Khoza said. “The facts and the details (of why we are appealing) must be referred to the Board of Governors who will convene an emergency meeting next week (on Thursday)."
"They will then ratify that decision," he added.
"We will ask for the indulgence of the media and the public to first give the Board of Governors a chance to evaluate the reasons we have provided as to why we haven’t opted for the directive as prescribed by the judgement but we are appealing the matter. It’s only on Thursday, after giving the reasons to the Board of Governors will we release the reasons to the greater public – the fans, sponsors, Safa and everyone affected by the matter.
What is important is that we are trying to address the matter as a matter of extreme emergency so that it doesn’t affect the start of the season.”
This case has dragged for over six months. The 2018/19 season is scheduled to kick off on the first weekend of August but the participants and their order in the standings will be determined by the outcome of this matter which means it could affect when the league starts.
“We are working towards the league starting on time,” Khoza said. “In life there are no certainties. That’s why next week we are having an extra-ordinary Board of Governors meeting.
We have briefed our sponsors, the broadcasters and gave the clubs a heads up along with Safa and the Minister of Sport on what is happening.”