Decision on protracted Tendai Ndoro saga expected on Wednesday

A decision is expected on Wednesday in the arbitration case between the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and its own Dispute Resolution Chamber as the long running saga over Ajax Cape Town striker Tendai Ndoro looks to be coming to an end.

The arbitrator‚ Advocate Nassir Cassim SC‚ reserved judgment after a hearing in Johannesburg on Monday where the PSL is appealing a decision by the DRC to allow Ajax to field Tendai Ndoro‚ in spite of a FIFA ruling that says no player can play for three different teams in a single season.

The DRC had surprised in January by saying that Ndoro could be fielded for Ajax despite a FIFA edict to the contrary and their decision was quickly appealed by the PSL.

The DRC‚ chaired by former acting judge Saleem Seedat‚ is an independent body within the PSL’s judicial structures and this is not the first time one of their rulings has been challenged by the league

The successful arguments put before the DRC by Ajax in January have not been made public but they were largely presented again by the club’s legal counsel Norman Arendse at Monday’s hearing after the arbitrator had first heard from the PSL and fellow complainants Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars.

Cassim promised all parties he would endevour to have a decision by Wednesday‚ TimesLIVE has learnt.

Ajax won the other part of the Ndoro legal saga last week when the protest brought against them by Pirates and Polokwane City were kicked out.

It means Ajax keep the four vital points they won in the two games where their opponents had played under protest at Ndoro’s participation.

Pirates protested against Ajax’s use of Ndoro when the two clubs met at the Cape Town Stadium on January 31 and Ajax won 3-0. Polokwane City did the same when they took on Ajax‚ with Ndoro in the line-up‚ in a drawn match on February 4.

Ajax felt they were allowed to field Ndoro after the DRC said they could and were bemused by the two protests that were eventually dismissed by the PSL’s disciplinary committee last week‚ who made it clear that as long as the DRC had said Ndoro was OK to play they could not rule against it.

“The Disciplinary Committee found that Mr. Ndoro’s eligibility had already been ruled upon by the PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber as the issue of his eligibility fell within its sphere of jurisdiction‚" the PSL said in a statement.

"In the circumstances‚ the Disciplinary Committee ruled that it lacked the necessary jurisdiction to hear the Protests and they were both dismissed.

"The Protesting clubs; Orlando Pirates FC and Polokwane City FC were ordered to pay the costs of the hearing.”