PSL Disciplinary Committee drops the ball

History teaches us that to know nothing of the past, is to know very little of the present and sadly, that would result in having absolutely no conception of the future.

In case you assume that I am a philosopher, let me correct you that I wish I was. But the drama that unfolded within the PSL corridors this week reminded me of my Grade 10 History teacher – Mighty Moseneke – who used to regale us about those pearls of historical quotes.

Almost every year and without fail, the PSL has developed this unwanted habit of throwing a lot of dust on their prestigious and highly envied brand by shooting themselves in the foot. And this week’s drama in which Sekhukhune United was awarded three points take the cake.

I am not in any way implying that Sekhukhune did not deserve those precious points, please do not get me wrong. The point of the matter is that Ba bina Noko (Sekhukhune) lost to Polokwane on match six of a 30 game programme.

And if my senile mind is still functioning properly, that match was played on the 2nd January 2021. The PSL rules state that every club in the second tier of South African football is obliged to have five U-23 players during every match.

Polokwane happened to have only two U-23 players on that fateful day and Sekhukhune United promptly lodged a protest in a match they would eventually lose 1-0.

And therein lies my beef because, despite the fact that the protest was lodged five months ago, the Disciplinary Committee had been sleeping throughout this Covid-19 induced pandemic and blissfully unaware of the protest.

They only woke up from their siesta this week when they realized that the championship ends on Saturday! Perhaps somebody alerted them to the fact that there is still a pending protest lodged by Sekhukhune five months ago.

Lo and behold, they suddenly resembled busy bees and upheld Sekhukhune’s protest as well as a 3-0 score-line in terms of the rules after docking the three points from Polokwane. The result is that Sekhukhune has now leapfrogged Real Kings at the top of the table going into the last game of the campaign this week.

It does not matter whether the decision was right or wrong, the fact of the matter is the timing of this verdict. It came at a time Royal AM were leading Sekhukhune by two points going into the final match of the season this weekend.

But now Real Kings finds themselves equal on points with Sekhukhune going into the final match but with a poor goal difference due to the three goals awarded to Sekhukhune.

I have lost my hearing aid while applying online for the much vaunted Covid-19 vaccine but I think I heard someone hinting that the PSL is seriously considering appealing against that decision, on what grounds, I certainly don’t know at this stage.

But I think the PSL should rather focus their energies on firing the bumbling members of their Disciplinary Committee first for dropping the ball and recruit a new committee that will swiftly dispense of such matters within a week, never waiting for five months to handle a disciplinary issue, like it is with this case.

I can imagine how upset Dr Irvin Khoza must be, because that man needs 28 hours a day as he works tirelessly without sleeping in his endeavour to elevate the PSL to the best possible level as a brand and actions such as those by the DC are surely going to turn his hair even greyer than it is.

I will not be surprised to hear that Shaun Mpisane, the owner of Royal AM, who celebrated the victory that gave them a two point lead over Sekhukhune last week, is suffering from anxiety attacks and spending sleepless nights induced by this decision by the bumbling DC members when they dropped the ball.