PSL deducts six points from AmaZulu
The Premier Soccer League has confirmed that it has enforced the Fifa ruling and deducted six points from AmaZulu.
Dr Patrick Sokhela, AmaZulu Chairman with Cavin Johnson, coach of AmaZulu during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 match between Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on 22 September 2018 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
This comes after Fifa ruled last month that AmaZulu be deducted six points and fork out over R1-million in compensation and fines for defying a decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
AmaZulu were found guilty by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee (DC) for failing to comply with a decision passed by CAS on September 13‚ 2017 regarding a dispute between the club annd Namibian player Phinheas Nambandi.
Nambandi took AmaZulu to Fifa in July 2014 after the club terminated his contract‚ which still had three more years to run.
Fifa ruled in favour of Nambandi in September 2017.
According to the Fifa Disciplinary Committee ruling‚ AmaZulu were ordered to pay‚ among others: “R1‚086m as compensation for breach of contract within 30 days from the date of notification of the decision plus 5% interest per annum‚ as from 25 July 2014.”
AmaZulu appealed to CAS for a final and binding arbitration and they lost the case as the court upheld the Fifa ruling.
When AmaZulu seemingly ignored the CAS decision‚ the matter was then sent back to the Fifa Disciplinary Committee.
The committee handed down a final judgment on August 10‚ 2018 and gave AmaZulu until September 16 to settle their debt with the player.
The PSL has now issued a statement confirming that the enforcement of the Fifa order.
The PSL statement:
PSL Statement on AmaZulu FC FIFA Ruling
The Premier Soccer League Executive Committee yesterday, 27 September 2018 met AmaZulu FC to discuss the implications of the ruling from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee handed down a decision on 10 August 2018. The FIFA DC ruled:
1. Ordered AmaZulu to pay a fine of CHF 10,000. That sum was to be paid within 30 days of notification of the decision to a named FIFA account.
2. Granted AmaZulu a final deadline of 30 days to as from notification (i.e. as from 16 August 2018) to make payment of the sum contemplated in a CAS award referred to in the decision and proof of payment was to be provided to the South African Football Association;
3. Ordered that if payment was not made in accordance with (2. Above) then six (6) points would automatically be deducted without any further formal decision;
4. Indicated that if after the deduction of these points, payment was still not made, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee would decide, upon the request of the Creditor, on a possible relegation of AmaZulu’s first team to the next lower division.
The PSL Executive Committee communicated the automatic points deduction (6 points) from AmaZulu FC.
Consequently, the League has compiled a revised Absa Premiership log standings. AmaZulu now have one (1) point.
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