NO VIBES ANYMORE: FIFA Ban Stands For Royal AM

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DURBAN: FIFA sanctioned Royal AM for terminating Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic’s contract within two months of signing him.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dealt Royal AM a major blow. CAS has dismissed the Premier Soccer League (PSL) side’s application to have its transfer ban by FIFA overturned, according to reports.

FIFA sanctioned Royal AM for terminating Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic’s contract within two months of signing him. Upholding the player’s complaint, the world football governing body ordered the KwaZulu-Natal-based side to compensate the player R12 million for dismissing him.

The club, however, disregarded the order. Consequently, FIFA banned the club from registering new players until it paid the former Kaizer Chiefs player Nurkovic R12 million. Instead of abiding by the order, Royal AM lodged an appeal with CAS to lift its ban to sign players during this transfer period, alleging that Nurkovic only showed up to work once.

Hence, argued the club, it decided to terminate his contract. The CAS ruling has, in essence, dented its hopes of overturning the ban. As things stand, the club has put itself into an either-or-else conundrum. It either pays Nurkovic, who is seeking to secure a contract with a Moroccan side, Raja Casablanca, or else the ban stands.

If the ban stands, then Royal AM will have to begin a 2023/24 season, which is set to begin on 4 August, without making squad reinforcements. The coach will have to make do with the current resources at his disposal.

The Royal AM’s ban is different from the one that Kaizer Chiefs endured about two seasons ago. FIFA had banned Amakhosi from signing players for two transfer windows after the club had signed Andriamirado Andrianarimanana from Fosa Football Club, a Malagasy side, without paying a transfer fee. Chiefs argued that Fosa FC is an amateur side.