New date set for FC AK arbitration

The arbitration hearing in the case delaying the National First Division (NFD) final - in which Maritzburg United are set to play unknown opponents for promotion to the Premier Soccer League - was initially to be heard on Monday.

This was pushed to Tuesday, a date on which Mike Murphy, the legal team of Mpumalanga Black Aces, the complainant, along with the PSL, could not be present and because of dissension over the choice of Senior Counsel to arbitrate.

“The arbitration date has now been set tentatively for Tuesday next week,” Premier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Zola Majavu said yesterday.

FC AK were found guilty of bribery and corruption by the PSL’s disciplinary committee in late April, and initially fined R500 000 and expelled from the NFD to the Vodacom League, with owner Azziz Kara banned from soccer for 30 years.

At a subsequent appeal to the SA Football Association Appeals Board, FC AK were reinstated to the NFD, though docked 15 points to be in second-last place in the Inland Stream. Kara’s ban was extended to life.

Maritzburg United have been inactive since playing their last competitive match on April 12, a 3-1 victory over Durban Stars to win the Coastal Stream and go into the home-and-away final, which was originally set for May 3 and 10.

United were to play FC AK in the final.