Times Of Swaziland: ‘WESLIANS’ COUNTER CRITICS OVER FIFA BAN

‘WESLIANS’ COUNTER CRITICS OVER FIFA BAN
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Nimrod Hlophe on 18/11/2024 07:40:00


MBABANE – Hub giants Manzini Wanderers have addressed their critics regarding
their decision to take football matters to court.
General feeling is that this will result to the Federation of International
Associations (FIFA) banning the country as it is opposed to football matters
being resolved in courts. Wanderers’ Managing Director (MD), Wellington Motsa,
has made his stance clear, saying that the criticism stems from a biased
understanding of the situation. Speaking at the Swaziland Catholic Centre,
Caritas, in Manzini, last Saturday during their mass meeting, Motsa expanded on
several instances where football-related issues were resolved through legal
channels. He said it resulted in positive outcomes rather than sanctions.
“The consequences of taking football matters to court can vary, but they often
include financial penalties, points deductions and legal rulings that can impact
the clubs and players involved,” he said. He stressed the importance of
adhering to regulations and the potential legal results of violations. Motsa
highlighted several cases where football disputes were taken to court, including
eight instances involving FIFA, some of which are from the region. One notable
example was the case between South Africa’s Polokwane City and Sekhukhune
United, where Polokwane City fielded ineligible players lacking the required
work permits. This matter was brought before the Johannesburg High Court, which
upheld the arbitration ruling, awarding three points and three goals to
Sekhukhune United.
He also referenced a 2015 case where FIFA took Manchester United to court over
the transfer of Argentina footballer Carlos Tevez. The court ruled in favour of
FIFA, imposing a fine on Real Madrid for breaching transfer regulations. Another
significant case involved the Namibia Premier League against the Namibia
Football Association (NFA), which centred on a dispute over relegation decisions
made by the Normalisation Committee. The court ruled that the league had agreed
to resolve disputes through arbitration rather than litigation.
He said these cases illustrate the legal complexities and potential consequences
of disputes in football, highlighting the importance of adhering to regulations
and the role of judicial bodies in resolving such matters. The MD said decision
such as goals scored during games could be be challenged or reversed in courts.
“Our focus must be on ensuring that all actions taken are in the best interest
of the league, its stakeholders and the future of football in our nation. The
club is committed to transparency, cooperation and working together with
football structures to resolve these matters amicably and justly,” Motsa
added.
He acknowledged the efforts, or lack thereof, made by both the Premier League of
Eswatini (PLE) and the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) in managing the
situation. However, he noted that the process and subsequent decisions have
highlighted several areas of concern that need to be addressed collaboratively
to ensure the continued fairness and credibility of the competition.