FIFA set to determine Ndoro's fate

Johannesburg - Tendai Ndoro’s eligibility case is now in the hands of FIFA, but it is not likely to end there.

If FIFA rules against Ndoro, Ajax Cape Town are likely to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

On Friday, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) referred the matter to the FIFA Players’ Status Committee as per the orders of arbitrator Nassir Cassim.

PSL legal adviser Michael Murphy told City Press that the league had given all the relevant documents to FIFA.

This week, Ajax’s urgent application to interdict the league from implementing the outcomes of the arbitration was dismissed.

The decision paved the way for the matter to be referred to the status committee.

Cassim had ruled that the Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) had no jurisdiction to make a ruling.

In his ruling Cassim said the DRC, which had earlier cleared Ndoro to play, had erred by presiding over the matter.

“The DRC correctly pointed out that it is an independent judicial tribunal vested with the authority to arbitrate disputes other than those of a disciplinary nature.

“Article 59.3 of the FIFA statutes requires national associations to establish domestic bodies to deal with disputes.

“The resolution of such disputes must be within FIFA’s regulatory framework.

“The issue is whether this is a matter for the DRC or the FIFA Players’ Status Committee.

“In my view, the DRC erred. This is not an employment related issue.”

Cassim said that, in the interests of finality and fairness, the league must refer the dispute to the status committee as a matter of urgency.

He said the referral must contain records of Ndoro and Ajax’s urgent application, the DRC’s award and the PSL’s appeal.

He also instructed that, “pending the outcome of a decision by FIFA, Ndoro should not play any more league fixtures for Ajax”.

After Ndoro’s urgent application was dismissed on Tuesday, the striker’s name was removed from Ajax’s line-up for their game against AmaZulu.

To make matters worse, Ajax lost the game 2-1.

They are now second from the bottom of the log.

Ndoro left Saudi Arabian club Al Faisaly to play for Orlando Pirates before he moved on to Ajax.

According to FIFA regulations, a player cannot represent three clubs in one season.