PSL fines Royal AM for failure to provide refereeing devices

Royal AM have been slapped with a fine by the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee. 

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This is after the KwaZulu-Natal based DStv Premiership side failed to provide referees with the required equipment they use to communicate in one of their games recently. 

Thwihli-Thwahla, as Royal AM are known, were called for a disciplinary committee headed by PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu on Wednesday. 

They were to answer to charges of failing to provide the referees with communication devices on March 4. 

This was in a Premiership game Royal AM won 2-0 against Sekhukhune United. They pleaded guilty.

The referee on the day, Abongile Tom had to do his job without the device which allows him to communicate with his assistants and the fourth official. 

“I can confirm that earlier today, Royal AM Football Club appeared before PSL DC to answer to the charges of failure to provide the match officials with the relevant communication devices which had been provided to them by the league and in accordance with applicable prescripts,” Zola Majavu said in an audio statement.

“They pleaded guilty and were convicted accordingly. Having listened to the submissions both in aggravation and mitigation of sentence, the PSL DC fined them a monetary amount of R50 000. 

“Half of which is suspended for a period of 24 months on condition that during the period of suspension, they are not found guilty of the same offence again.”

Royal AM are not first time offenders

“They were further ordered to pay the costs of the DC which should, in any event, be administratively computed by the league and be added to their total bill for payment.”

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This means Royal AM will have to cough up R25 000 plus the costs of the sitting of the disciplinary committee.

It was not Royal AM’s first run-in with the PSL’s disciplinary committee as they have constantly found themselves on the wrong side.

In 2021, they were found guilty of abandoning an official PSL game. This was after they refused to partake in the relegation/promotion play-offs.  

Royal AM were at the time refuting a disciplinary committee decision that declared Sekhukhune as the winners of the National First Division ahead of them.