Royal AM – expunged from the PSL during the 2024/25 season – have had their name suddenly scratched from FIFA’s registration bans.
Prior to the issues that led to their demise, Royal AM had been on FIFA’s black book for over a year due to dispute issues relating to Samir Nurkovic and Ricardo Nascimento.
READ: Pirates winger back but question marks linger
The bigger of the cases involved Nurkovic who was only ever paid once – an amount of R245 943,91 on November 11, 2022 – through his time with the club and had a bill of approximately R11,2 million to him when Thwihli Thwahla sank.
This was according to FIFA and CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) whose 21-page arbitral award is in the hands of this website which shows Nurkovic's package was R5 040 000 (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023) then R5 280 000 for the second year (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
For the optional year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025), he would have been on R5 520 000.
His claim was partially awarded and after failure to pay, Royal AM were served a three-window transfer ban.
With Nascimento, FIFA awarded R600 000 (effective September 2023 with an interest of 5% per annum).
Royal AM disputed the ruling and chose not to pay leading to FIFA imposing another three-window transfer ban.
In a fresh development this week, FIFA no longer has Royal AM on the list of South African clubs with bans which still includes defunct clubs Cape Town All Stars, Witbank Spurs, Royal Eagles, and BTM Sports.
This website has been informed that there are still ongoing legal options being pursued relating to Royal AM’s FIFA cases and the money they owe.
Meanwhile, TS Galaxy remain the only club in the Betway Premiership blacklisted from making new signings.
The world governing has placed three transfer window bans on the club with the latest which came into effect at the end of April to remain in place until it is lifted.
READ: Pirates’ new kid on the block’s top marks
Galaxy have another two three window transfer bans which have run since December last year.
Motsepe Foundation Championship club Pretoria Callies are also banned from making new registrations.
