Sundowns won't face points deduction as title race hots up

Cape Town - As the Absa Premiership title race hots up, Mamelodi Sundowns received a boost with the news that they will not face a points deduction for wrongfully playing Wayne Arendse in a league match last year.

Sundowns were charged on February 4 for the incident in a match against Wits on October 7, 2018 by the PSL.

In that fixture, a 1-1 draw between the two sides at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Arendse was not included in the original match-day squad but later was drafted into the starting line-up after a late injury.

According to Soccer Laduma, a verdict released by the PSL disciplinary committee on Monday will not see Sundowns deducted any points in the Absa Premiership.

Instead, Masandawana will have to pay a R250 000 fine with half suspended as long as they are not sanctioned for a similar offence over the next year.

Arendse also received a suspended fine of R50 000 as long as he is not involved in such an event, again for a period of the next year.

Sundowns are currently second on the Absa Premiership log, three points behind Orlando Pirates but with a game in hand.