PSL promotion playoffs in doubt after Royal AM appeal

The Premier Soccer League have yet to comment on the appeal to the Supreme Court by GladAfrica Championship side Royal AM, and as it stands the Promotion/Relegation Playoffs will start on Tuesday.

The Durban-based side are set to meet provincial rivals Richards Bay in the first of the playoff games, with top-flight Chippa United the third team in the mini-tournament. The top team in the mini-league will seal their status in the DStv Premiership next season.

But the fact that Royal AM have decided to appeal a decision that upheld an arbitrator’s award of three points to Sekhukhune United from a league game against Polokwane City, which elevated United to top spot in the Championship and automatic promotion at the expense of Royal AM, has complicated the whole process.

If Royal AM do honour their fixture on Tuesday and win their appeal, it could mean the playoffs are declared null and void up to that point, potentially forcing a restart and delaying the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Sekhukhune were awarded the three points after Polokwane failed to include the required five under-23 players in their matchday squad for their fixture in January.

Initially, the PSL simply stripped Polokwane of the three points they won in the game, but an appeal by Sekhukhune in arbitration saw them awarded the fixture 3-0 on the basis that this is a standard sanction by Fifa for such a misdemeanour.

But the PSL, and Royal AM, argue that their own handbook makes provision for what should happen in this case and that the original sanction was correct.

It is a messy end to the campaign that threatens to roll into the next one unless a swift conclusion can be found.