Today’s National First Division (NFD) play-off match between Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos will go ahead in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, as scheduled – following yesterday’s decision by the South Gauteng High Court.
The three-way play-offs also involve Moroka Swallows.
The court dismissed – with costs – an urgent interdict launched by the relegated AmaZulu and Swallows to stop the game from going ahead.
The two clubs lodged the interdict on Friday following allegations of match-fixing, which Swallows reported to the league earlier in the week.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) immediately launched an investigation into the matter.
PSL CEO Brand de Villiers said the court application had halted the investigation but he was confident the league would get to the bottom of the allegations.
“The matter is being handled by the league’s prosecutor and I know they have already interviewed some people.
“Depending on the availability of witnesses, they should be able to finalise the investigation soon,” said De Villiers.
City Press has also learnt that an official of a team involved in the relegation battle phoned a coach in an attempt to influence a game.
However, the coach told the official where to get off and reported the matter to management, who consequently confiscated all the players’ cellphones before the match.
Free State Stars and Polokwane City officials have been implicated in the allegations.
Another source revealed that the PSL had pleaded with the chairperson of one of the concerned clubs to cooperate with investigators.