Royal AM debacle is messy

The Royal AM debacle that has been haunting the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is refusing to die. Since the controversial promotion of Sekhukhune United at the beginning of last season, Royal AM has been in courts disputing the decision. Everyone was convinced that with the acquisition of the Premiership status of Bloemfontein Celtic, owner Shawn Mkhize would abandon the case and focus on life in the topflight, this wasn’t the case. The matter has been elevated to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and it’s far from over. Sekhukhune United were crowned the GladAfrica Champions after they gained points that were stripped from Polokwane City when the latter were found guilty of fielding ineligible player. The PSL are to be blamed for holding playoffs that are meaningless. The two clubs that have finished first and second in GladAfrica Championship should be automatically promoted to the Premiership and the two that finish at the bottom of the topflight must be automatically relegated.

If that were the case, we wouldn’t be experiencing this embarrassing Royal AM v/s PSL controversy that doesn’t want to leave us.

This playoff tournament deprives promoted clubs a chance to venture into the transfer market to add new players to their squads and they’re denied a proper preparatory offseason period. Also a relegated club is being unfairly given the second chance of resurrection, while the GladAfrica Championship club that ends second is being unfairly made to fight for the promotion they already acquired.