Kaizer Chiefs and the Premier Soccer League have been provided with three options and must now pick an arbitrator to fast-track the outcome of their bitter dispute.
This was confirmed by SAFA CEO Tebogo Motlanthe as he confirmed to the Siya crew that the two parties must decide between advocates Nassir Cassim, Hilton Epstein and William Mokhari for there to be a speedy resolution on the matter.
Amakhosi were charged by the League for failure to honour two of their DStv Premiership fixtures in December, having cited a Covid-19 outbreak at Naturena and requesting that five games be postponed.
Their request was denied.
But the Glamour Boys were a no-show against Cape Town City at FNB Stadium and away to Golden Arrows last month, although the squad came out of isolation to play the other three games for the remainder of 2021.
"I can confirm that Kaizer Chiefs Football Club has been charged in relation with their non-fulfilment of two fixtures, as a result of the allegations that most of their players had tested positive. That case has been enrolled for hearing on January 21 at 16h00," was the statement that came from PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu at the time.
He later updated the media by revealing Chiefs were going the SAFA arbitration route, and that could mean there's no case if Amakhosi get their way.
Motlanthe told Soccer Laduma that the mother body is now awaiting feedback regarding the decision on who should be appointed arbitrator.
"Of course there's pressure to conclude the matter because the League wants this to be finalised before the resumption of the games. But the ball is in their court, they – both the League and Chiefs – must all decide," he explained.
"What happens is that there will be a request for an arbitration in terms of Article 81 of the SAFA statutes, and then we will appoint an arbitrator. In fact, we will give them three names to choose from and normally it is by consensus. If they agree on one then we appoint, but if there is no consensus, then Article 81 gives the CEO the right to appoint an arbitrator. There are obvious timelines."
It's expected that an arbitrator will be appointed sometime this week as Majavu had already pronounced that the disciplinary committee would sit again on February 25.
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