Moroka Swallows have been accused of making excuses after they could not get their betting sponsor approved by the PSL.
Swallows sold their Premiership status to Marumo Gallants ahead of the 2024/25 season after they admitted that they could no longer afford to run the club financially.
The Birds were in an unprecedented situation in December last year, as their failure to pay players salaries resulted in a strike by the majority of their playing personnel, as they could not honour two DStv Premiership fixtures against Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows.
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The Soweto outfit were in hot water with the PSL, who fined them R1 million, with R600 000 suspended.
Swallows survived suspension or expulsion from the PSL after they pleaded guilty for bringing the League into disrepute.
After selling their Premiership status, Swallows conceded that one of the reasons they could not keep the club afloat was that the sponsors they procured, including a betting and financial services companies, were not approved by the League.
After the PSL announced their new sponsor Betway, discussions have been going on how could that happen while the likes of the Birds were not allowed to bring betting companies on board.
Although PSL Chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza addressed the issue, by revealing that he had talks with the same betting company that wanted to sponsor Swallows, the main stumbling block for the Dobsonville outfit was that they did not comply with certain rules.
Former Swallows defender Roger da Costa feels it's simply an excuse for the club to say they sold their top-flight status because they could not get sponsors, including from betting companies.
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"If they are saying the PSL wouldn't let them having a betting sponsor, then find a different one," Da Costa told KickOff.
"There's thousands of companies, a lot of big companies that would love to be in football for exposure, it's a big market, the viewership on TV, it's advertising for them and Swallows is a big brand.
"For me that's an excuse. Whoever was in charge is bad management, bad business, lack of effort, hiring wrong people, I don't know what it is," Da Costa insisted.