Ajax takes Ndoro’s ruling to court

● In an attempt to block the arbitrator’s decision of taking Tendai Ndoro’s eligibility to play to Fifa, Ajax Cape Town have taken the matter to the South Gauteng High Court on an urgent application on Tuesday.

This is after arbitrator Nassim Cassim, acting on behalf of the South African Football Association (Safa) , ruled on Monday that the Premier Soccer League’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) did not have the right to rule on the matter.

Cassim said Fifa must rule because the case also involved a club outside of South Africa.

Ndoro’s eligibility to play for Ajax came into question because the Fifa rules state that a player cannot be registered and play for three teams in one season if those teams play in a league that has a similar calendar.

Ndoro played for Orlando Pirates early this season before being sold to Saudi Arabia outfit Al-Faisaly.

The Zimbabwean striker returned to South Africa in January and signed for Ajax, sparking protests from Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars about his eligibility.

If Ajax are found guilty of breaking the rules they may be stripped of points they earned in matches that Ndoro played.

Part of Cassim’s ruling on Monday was that Ndoro must immediately stop playing for Ajax until Fifa has made its decision.

Fifa confirmed this week receiving the arbitrator’s ruling from Safa, but according to Ajax counsel, Norman Arendse, they are going to court on Tuesday to essentially prevent Fifa from getting involved.

“Yes we are bringing an urgent application on Tuesday to permit Ndoro to play; and we are also applying for the urgent setting aside of the ruling because we feel it is wrong,” said Arendse.

He said that if the court agrees with Ajax that the matter should not be taken to Fifa, then that will overturn the arbitrator’s ruling on the matter.