Cape Town City fined for playing without cards, but Maritzburg ‘consider appeal’

Cape Town City have been fined R100,000, half of which was suspended, in the disciplinary committee (DC) hearing for the match they played against Maritzburg United without having player registration cards.

Maritzburg chair Farook Kadodia, though, said his club would review the decision and consult their lawyers on whether to appeal it.

City, who had pleaded guilty last week, won the DStv Premiership game 3-2 at Cape Town Stadium on December 7. The City players’ registration cards were allegedly stolen when team manager Moenier Davids’ car was broken into about two hours before the game.

United played under protest after pressure on the club from the league, who allegedly told the KwaZulu-Natal team the needs of the broadcaster, DStv, had to be satisfied.

Kadodia said he was disappointed in the DC finding, as he would have hoped for the match result to be reversed.

PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu said in an audio press release on Monday evening that the sanctions handed out were: “The respondent — Cape Town City — is fined R100,000, half of which is suspended for 12 months on condition that the club is not found guilty of the same offence, and the balance of the 50% is payable within 30 days.

“Second, the PSL is to return the protest fee to the protesting club, Maritzburg United.

“Third, Cape Town City is ordered to pay the costs of the DC hearing to the PSL.

“Fourth, City is further ordered to pay the costs of Maritzburg on an attorney and own client scale for the hearing of January 12 only.”

Kadodia said United would consider an appeal, as it was his club’s belief that the PSL compliance manual stipulates that if a team does not have its player cards the match should not continue.

“We’ll review it overnight and speak to our attorneys to see whether it’s worth our while to appeal,” the Maritzburg chair told TimesLIVE shortly after Majavu’s announcement.

“We are desperately disappointed as we followed the compliance manual. The compliance manual states, ‘No cards, no play’.

“We played under protest only because the PSL told us they needed to satisfy the broadcaster.”