With deafening silence on whether Royal AM will still be sold, a top legal guru has outlined to this website the way forward for contracted players.
It has become a formality that Royal AM will no longer participate in the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season, after the PSL Executive Committee recommended a cancelation of their NSL membership to its Board of Governors.
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A few players have bargained successfully for their release from contracts at the PSL's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC).
However, as a general consequence, Lesedi Mphahlele, Attorney and Director at Fairbridges Wertheim Becker Attorneys, has outlined the rights of players concerned contracted to the KZN outfit.
"Presently, Royal AM (through its curator) has an option to enter into Mutual Separation Agreements
(MSA) with existing players, allowing them to find alternative employment," Mphahlele said, speaking exclusively to KickOff.com.
"However, this approach might not work for Royal AM due to its significant financial difficulties and potential insolvent status, unless the said MSAs are without financial obligations for Royal AM.
"In the alternative, Royal AM players may apply to the Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) of PSL to be declared free agents in terms of Rules 43.1.4 and 43.1.7 of the NSL Handbook, taking into cognisance the application procedure outlined under Rule 43.2, which will allow them to obtain their clearance certificates and thereafter seek alternative employment.
"Essentially, the players will have to satisfy the PSL DRC that since the club no longer falls under the jurisdiction of PSL, it is in the interest of fairness and equity that they be declared free agents," he continued.
With a month left before the current campaign comes to an end, Mphahlele also confirmed that Thwihli Thwahla players can still find employment elsewhere, if they obtain their clearance certificates.
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"Making applications to be declared free agents may increase the chances of some of Royal AM’s players to return to the topflight league," the esteemed lawyer concluded.
