Royal AM Expelled from South Africa Premier Soccer League
Royal AM’s turbulent season has come to an abrupt end after the South Africa Premier Soccer League’s Board of Governors voted to cancel the club’s membership with immediate effect. The decision was made at a meeting held at the Sandton Convention Centre, where representatives from all 31 other professional teams unanimously agreed to expel the KwaZulu-Natal side. This drastic action was taken following Royal AM’s failure to fulfil scheduled fixtures earlier in the season, leading to their indefinite suspension.
The club’s expulsion has had a significant impact on the Premiership standings, as all points earned against Royal AM have been wiped from the records. This has caused a major shift in the league table, with other teams now having to adjust to the absence of Royal AM in the competition.
The decision to expel Royal AM was influenced by the club’s financial troubles, particularly their reported tax debt of around R40 million. This debt, linked to club president Shauwn Mkhize and her family trust, had put the club under SARS curatorship, further complicating their participation in the league.
As a result of Royal AM’s expulsion, the league has announced that there will be no automatic relegation this season. Instead, the team finishing 15th in the standings will have to compete in the promotion-relegation playoffs to secure their top-flight survival. This unexpected turn of events has added a new layer of excitement and uncertainty to the end of the season, as teams now have to battle it out on the pitch to determine their fate.
