Irvin Khoza unpacks Royal AM saga, offers helping hand

The KZN outfit have yet to pay striker Samir Nurkovic an amount that’s now skyrocketed to R15-million with interest after breaching his contract and the Serbian winning the case in front of a FIFA tribunal.

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Speaking this week, Khoza finally lifted the lid on where the Exco stands.

 ''I'm happy for that question. I would appreciate for the first time if I give this explanation. Now in terms of the DRC matters, DRC matters are mainly about contractual disputes, we have got our own DRC and we have got the FIFA DRC. There was a regulation which circulated some time ago that all contracts with international dimension must be referred to FIFA.

So the matter of Royal Am, because the person who was complaining is a foreign player. The matter was channeled directly to FIFA, when the results came already in the media, it was subsequently after the CAS outcome. There was a workshop that took place between FIFA and SAFA to discuss the issue of the DRC. The DRC that is constituted in the country now is required by FIFA, because it is informed by the collective agreement that we signed with the players union. That we have got a certain number of people in the DRC and come with the same number with an independent  chairperson,'' said Khoza.

The Exco were also forced to suspend the club’s DStv Diski Challenge side from the reserve league. Khoza revealed that Royal AM have made yet another appeal despite CAS throwing out the most recent one.

''We discussed it last week for the first time it came to our notice. It appears the was fault on the side of the team to put the matter forward. We are waiting for the report back from SAFA because they sent us a copy of the referral back to FIFA. 

It is unfortunate because when it happens we have to track the clubs and remind them that the outcome of this judgment, say you get a window period of so many months until you pay. While the case is still open it means you can't engage the players and this came at a wrong time were the players - it was the beginning of the season, they are above age and they have moved to other clubs. It is not good for the image of the game,'' added Khoza.

Royal AM risk being docked points and relegated by FIFA if there is no movement on their end to settle the money owed to Nurkovic.

Khoza said the league has asked how they can help.

''The secret is that if you formalise the structure of the DRC, we should have already started - it is working very well,  but some of the players and coaches take advantage and go to FIFA directly. We don't know about it. It courses pain to everybody, but as soon as it comes to our table we resolve it as best as we can, we call the club to our office to ask where we can help,'' he expressed.

Thwihli Thwahla got their shot in the topflight by buying the status of Bloemfontein Celtic in 2021, something the PSL has been heavily criticised for.

Khoza believes there’s very little the league can do to avoid this scenario.