The mounting crisis at Royal AM has yet another addition after the KwaZulu-Natal club missed their latest deadline in settling what they must pay Samir Nurkovic.
Royal AM recently lost at CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) in their appeal against FIFA's ruling in the matter relating to Nurkovic.
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Beyond having to pay the striker what is now estimated at R11,1 million plus all other costs related to the case to be determined by the CAS office, the club has also been hit with a CHF20 000 fine (approx. R408 000).
This fine relates to their failure to respect FIFA's decision – upheld by CAS – to pay the Serbian.
Further sanctions are now expected after the club also missed the latest deadline of January 20.
According to Nurkovic's legal representative – Davor Lazic – FIFA had given the club a deadline of January 20, 2025, to settle what they owe the player.
Royal AM have already served a three-window FIFA-imposed transfer ban, which, according to those working on the case, will now be escalated to further sanctions, which will include points deduction and the possibility of relegation.
The John Maduka-coached club only has eight points from 11 games.
Now under curatorship of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Thwihli Thwahla have now had all their fixtures suspended by the PSL until further notice due to compliance issues.
Nurkovic's package at Royal AM for the first year was R5 040 000 (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023), then R5 280 000 for the second year (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024), and R5 520 000 for the optional third year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025).
However, he was only ever paid R245 943,91 on November 11, 2022, which was three days after filing his claim with FIFA and seven weeks after playing in the Macufe Cup.
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This information is contained in the 21-page arbitral award by CAS, which classified Royal AM's appeal at CAS as inadmissible with all other and further motions and prayers for relief dismissed.
The club also lost another case at FIFA against Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento.