Royal AM could sink further into the mud with the start of the New Year having come with the club's players failing to report back for duty due to unpaid salaries.
Thwihli Thwahla have already had their league match away at Chippa United on Saturday postponed by the PSL, giving signal of the level of issues enveloping the KwaZulu-Natal-based club.
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Through all domestic issues relating to the club, there is the unresolved case of Ricardo Nascimento still simmering at FIFA.
Nascimento took up his contract dispute against Royal AM to FIFA in 2023 after failed attempts to resolve the matter amicably with the club at the end of his 15-month stay.
The world governing body then ruled in his favour with an award of R600 000 (effective September 2023 with an interest of 5% per annum).
Four months later, Royal AM still didn't comply with the FIFA ruling which ordered them to pay and were thus then subsequently handed a three-window transfer ban on January 15, 2024.
"The transfer ban remains active," confirms Pedro Felipe Gomes da Silva, partner of RA Law firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, who represent Nascimento.
"However, with the three-window transfer ban lapsing, there is a points deduction penalty possibility as the next disciplinary measure, which could lead to relegation.
"To confirm, nothing has happened for the past month in terms of communication from the club, so the case is still active just like the transfer ban," says Pedro Felipe.
The agent who negotiated Nascimento's deal – Marcelo Robalinho – has also entered the fray in complicating the case with a claim of 6% commission which he wasn't paid when the Brazilian moved from Mamelodi Sundowns to Royal AM at the beginning of 2022.
Robalinho claims he had an agreement to be paid his fees by the club.
Royal AM have another case for a significantly bigger amount relating to Samir Nurkovic also still hanging.
The club lost its appeal at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) and must now pay to avoid FIFA taking further action.
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Based on the CAS award – which is in possession of this website – Royal AM had to pay Nurkovic approximately R10,5 million as of November 2024.
The initial claim was pegged at R15,8 million, the full value of the two years plus one contract which the Serbian had agreed to with Royal AM when he signed ahead of the start of the 2022/23 season.