Khoza says Board of Governors must rule on Ajax

JOHANNESBURG: The Premier Soccer League (PSL) hasn’t considered increasing the number of teams in the league… for now. That’s because the chairman, Irvin Khoza, argues Judge Denise Fisher’s judgement didn’t find the PSL in the wrong on the Tendai Ndoro saga.

The South Gauteng High court, last week, set aside Advocate William Mokhari’s ruling on the eligibility of the Zimbabwean forward to represent Ajax Cape Town last season. Mokhari, serving as an arbitrator for Safa, found Ajax guilty on five charges of misconduct arising from the fielding of Ndoro who was deemed ineligible, leading to their automatic relegation.

Fifa rules state that a player cannot represent three teams in a season, but Zimbabwean Ndoro played for Orlando Pirates and Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly before joining the Urban Warriors in January. But the PSL’s Dispute Resolution Chamber cleared Ajax to field Ndoro.

The PSL appealed that decision and won. The Urban Warriors fought the matter in the courts which led to them getting a reprieve last week with Judge Fisher setting aside Mokhari’s ruling, arguing that he didn’t have jurisdiction on the matter. Judge Fisher referred the matter to the Fifa Players’ Status Committee. The PSL looks set to appeal that ruling after an extraordinary Board of Governors meeting on Thursday. The whole drama threatens to delay the start of the 2018/19 season.

That has led to an argument that the PSL should increase the number of teams in the league from 16 to 18. Highlands Park and Black Leopards have already confirmed their places in the top flight, replacing Ajax and Platinum Stars. The “solution” is the PSL should just “promote” Ajax along with Jomo Cosmos who finished behind Highlands and Leopards.

“That matter is for the Board of Governors,” Khoza said. “The rules are clear on how you get involved in the Premier Division. That’s why that matter was never on the table in our (executive committee) meeting. We never discussed it.”

Money is another stumbling block in this solution. Clubs in the top flight each get R1.5-million in monthly grants. If this “proposal” were to pass, that money would be cut to accommodate the two newcomers as there is no proposed financial stream to supplement the two extra teams. Clubs in the NFD get R30 000 a month and that would also decrease.

There are also logistical challenges as it means that the NFD would also need to increase its number of teams from 16 to 18. The Board of Governors is made up of the clubs in the Premier Division and NFD and they’re unlikely to make a ruling that would hit them in their pockets.