Pirates, Comitis incur wrath of PSL

ORLANDO Pirates and Cape Town City chairman John Comitis have incurred the wrath of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), and both parties will face the full might of the law.

The charge against Pirates is far more serious since they were found guilty of bringing the PSL, football, the South African Football Association (Safa), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Fifa and the sponsors into disrepute.

Apart from bringing the PSL into disrepute, the PSL will find it hard to swallow that a club headed by their chairman, Irvin Khoza, were found guilty of this transgression. Khoza is also a vice-president of Safa.

In a statement, PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, said: “The Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee has returned a guilty verdict. This is a result of Pirates have been found unreasonably denied Mr Tim Sukazi access to Orlando Stadium when he was entitled to do so.

“As a result, Orlando Pirates was found to have brought the league, the game, Safa, CAF, Fifa and the sponsors into disrepute. Having been so convicted, the next stage is for parties to address the committee with the appropriate sanction.

“The matter will therefore argue on 3 May 2022, at 15h00 with regard to what each party contends should be the appropriate sanction, where after the DC will make its final decision on sanction.”

The charge arose after TS Galaxy chairman Sukazi was wrongfully denied entry to Orlando Stadium, when he wanted to attend a match in December.

Sukazi was fully equipped with the necessary accreditation, but was denied entry. When Sukazi tried to push his way past the security, he was manhandled.

A video showing Sukazi being physically removed from the entrance went viral, and Pirates’ security staff copped criticism for their heavy-handed treatment.

It was the second time that Galaxy had suffered at the hands of Pirates security. Minenhle Mkhize, Galaxy’s media and communications manager, was slapped in the face by a Pirates security officer earlier in the season at Orlando Stadium.

Comitis will appear before the PSL’s disciplinary committee tomorrow on a charge of bringing the organisation into disrepute.

His transgression was his scathing remarks made on Robert Marawa’s podcast, in the light of the outcome of Safa’s arbitration.

He referred to the arbitration’s outcome “as a dark day in South African football”, and his remarks were repeated on several media platforms.

Majavu said Comitis will now appear before the disciplinary committee.

His statement reads: “John Comitis will appear before the DC this Friday, 29 April, to answer charges of bringing the league into disrepute based on some media utterances attributable to him – which he has subsequently confirmed as being true and accurate.”

Kaizer Chiefs are also in hot water after they were charged with adding two ineligible players to a team list. The two players were fit to play in the reserve league and not the Premiership.

The players were not, however, used during the Premiership match against Sekhukhune United.

Majavu’s statement read: “Kaizer Chiefs appeared before the DC to answer charges of fielding two ineligible players who were originally registered for the Diski Challenge. However, they were used in a fixture between Chiefs and Sekhukhune United.

“The case has been postponed to May 13 for final arguments. And on that day, under the direction of the panel, the matter must be finalised.

“What would then be outstanding would be a judgment that would be reserved, mindful that the season is drawing to an end.”