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Cape Town - The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has welcomed yesterday's High Court decision that dismissed an urgent application by Ajax Cape Town to set aside a PSL arbitration ruling to ban striker Tendai Ndoro from playing for the club.
The Urban Warriors presented an urgent application to the court to overturn a previous ruling made by Arbitrator Nassir Cassim SC that the 32-year-old not be eligible to play.
Cassim in his ruling referred the matter to the world football governing body, FIFA arguing the PSL’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) does not have jurisdiction over the matter.
Orlando Pirates and Polokwane City had lodged a protest with the PSL arguing that Ajax Cape Town had contravened FIFA rules by fielding the player.
The player played for Pirates before signing for a Saudi Arabia side Al Faisaly and then returned to the Absa Premiership to join Ajax.
FIFA rules prohibit a player to play for three different clubs in a single season.
The PSL released a statement on Wednesday welcoming the decision.
"The Premier Soccer League (PSL) welcomes yesterday's decision of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, Johannesburg, in the matter between the National Soccer League, Ajax Cape Town, Mr Tendai Ndoro and others.
Ajax Cape Town and Mr Ndoro brought an urgent application to interdict the League from implementing the outcomes of the arbitration. The Arbitrator had ruled that the Dispute Resolution Chamber had no jurisdiction to rule on the matter of Mr Ndoro.
The High Court yesterday afternoon dismissed Ndoro's and Ajax Cape Town's application. The League has insisted all along that it is FIFA Players Status Committee that has jurisdiction to determine Ndoro's eligibility to play in the current season.
The judge, Justice Sutherland, agreed with the view that as things stand on the matter, there is no 'lawful structure' that has expressed a view on whether Mr Ndoro is eligible to play or not, again re-affirming the position of the League.
The League also distances itself from comments made by Ajax Cape Town alleging that the League, through their senior council in court, had made a commitment on the nature of the outcome of the matter, including the decision on whether there will be points deducted or not from the member club."
