PSL lawman girds for battle with Downs

PSL’s prosecutor says he’ll act after ref’s report on Langerman saga

Mamelodi Sundowns and PSL prosecutor Nande Becker are set for yet another collision course after Downs included suspended Tebogo Langerman on their team sheet in the Nedbank Cup final against Bloemfontein Celtic.

Thanks to Gaston Sirino’s single strike at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night, Sundowns were crowned the Nedbank Cup champions.

However, Downs’ triumph was blemished when they were made aware that Langerman wasn’t supposed to be on the bench, having picked up his fourth yellow card that condemned him to suspension in their 3-0 win over Black Leopards on the last day of the PSL nearly two weeks ago.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, Becker disclosed he’d started making headway in investigating the Langerman matter. The PSL prosecutor also indicated charges of misconduct may be levelled against Sundowns and the player.

“I believe there was an issue with one of the Sundowns players. I don’t have the full facts yet, I’ve just called on the football department to send me a copy of the match report. I will review that and see whether there’s any further steps to be taken,’’ said Becker.

“If there were players on the team sheet that were ineligible, obviously as it’s been on past similar cases, misconduct charges will be levelled.

“Any competence sentence against the player and the club will be on the table that ranges from reprimand, forfeiture, banning... In my mind, there was knowledge beforehand that the person [Langerman] should not be fielded.’’

Sowetan understands that Celtic only lodged a complaint midway through the match. The PSL handbook, article 51.3 stipulates that “where the protest relates to a player who’s alleged to be an ineligible player, the protesting member club will lodge a written objection to the fielding of the player detailing the reasons for the objection, with the referee and the opposing captain in the presence of an assistant referee no later than 30 [thirty] minutes before the start of the match”.

When contacted yesterday,

Celtic chief executive Khumbulani Konco wasn’t keen to speak about their stance in this matter, only saying “we’ll release a statement soon”.

Downs coach Pitso Mosimane said he didn’t know Langerman was suspended. “I am not aware of that [Langerman being suspended]. You are asking me as coach, I am not aware, I will ask the club.’’

In April last year, the PSL disciplinary committee found

Sundowns and defender Wayne Arendse guilty of misconduct after the defender was drafted in as a late addition to the team sheet after he’d been originally left out of the matchday squad against Bidvest Wits in October 2018. The club and the player were fined R250,000 each, with half of the fine suspended.

Sundowns manager Yogesh Singh couldn’t be reached for comment.

SAMUEL SHIVAMBU/GALLO IMAGES Tebogo Langerman of Mamelodi Sundowns, seen here challenged by Vusimuzi Mngomezulu of Polokwane, was not supposed to be on the bench for the final..