Shauwn Mkhize’s Royal AM face expulsion from the PSL if they don’t pay Serbian forward the money owed to him FILE - Shauwn Mkhize’s Royal AM face expulsion from the PSL if they don’t pay Serbian forward the money owed to him. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
Royal AM could find themselves out of the Betway Premiership if they don’t settle their debt and pay Serbian forward Samir Nurkovic the money owed to him.
The club, owned by Durban businesswoman and socialite Shauwn Mkhize, were handed a transfer ban by FIFA after Nurkovic claimed he was owed around R12 million by the club after his contract was terminated in 2022.
They approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport challenging the decision, but their appeal was thrown out, leaving the club in limbo.
They were kicked out of the DStv Diski Challenge earlier this month due to being unable to fulfil their fixtures as they could not register any new players.
Their inability to register new players has also seen Andile Mpisane, the club’s chairman and 23-year-old son of owner MaMkhize, featuring in a number of games for the first team.
According to PSL legal counsel Michael Murphy, the decision to expel the club from league is above their pay grade, and would be settled by FIFA is Nurkovic is not paid what he is owed.
“It’s at FIFA level. There’s a remedy that’s been handed down if there is no payment,” Murphy said on Newzroom Afrika.
“It will be referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and it terms of the FIFA DC. It has happened before to South African clubs or clubs around the world.
“They could order an expulsion or deduction of points. And if they do, we [PSL] have to implement it,” he said.
Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Nurkovic is currently on the books of TS Galaxy.
IOL Sport