The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has officially canceled the upcoming fixture between Royal AM FC and Orlando Pirates FC, initially scheduled for 23 January 2025, as a result of ongoing issues related to the club's curatorship.
The decision was made following a series of discussions within the PSL Executive Committee (ExCo) regarding Royal AM's ability to meet its commitments for upcoming matches.
According to the statement, on 9 January 2025, Royal AM FC notified the league that it could not fulfill its fixture against Chippa United FC due to difficulties stemming from the appointment of a Curator. This raised immediate concerns within the league, prompting ExCo to convene three separate meetings to assess the situation and ensure that the club could continue to meet its fixture obligations in compliance with league regulations.
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On 17 January 2025, ExCo was informed that a joint letter of comfort, expected to come from both the club's management and the Curator, would be submitted. The letter was intended to assure the league that the issues which led to the club's inability to meet its obligations had been resolved. However, as of now, no such letter of comfort has been provided.
As a result, the PSL has had no choice but to cancel Fixture 106, which was set to take place at Harry Gwala Stadium on 23 January, with kickoff scheduled for 19:30. Additionally, all other Royal AM FC fixtures in both the Betway Premiership and the Nedbank Cup have been suspended until further notice.
This development has raised concerns within the South African football community, as it disrupts the league's schedule and leaves other clubs uncertain about their upcoming matches involving Royal AM. The PSL, while acknowledging the challenging situation, has made it clear that it will take further action if necessary to ensure that all clubs fulfill their fixtures in accordance with the league's rules and regulations.
The league will continue to monitor the situation closely, with hopes that Royal AM can resolve its internal matters and resume its commitments in the near future. In the meantime, teams and fans will have to adjust to the suspension of Royal AM's matches, which includes their upcoming fixtures in both domestic competitions.
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