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PSL closing in on play-offs match-fixer

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PSL CEO Brand de Villiers says match-fixing allegations are being taken very seriously. PHOTO: Samuel Shivambu / BackpagePix
PSL CEO Brand de Villiers says match-fixing allegations are being taken very seriously. PHOTO: Samuel Shivambu / BackpagePix

The PSL investigation into allegations of match-fixing has already nabbed one suspect.

This was disclosed by the league’s CEO, Brand de Villiers, who told City Press that one club official would be charged next month.

De Villiers declined to reveal the identity of the official and said the investigation was not yet finished.

“He will appear before our disciplinary committee early next month, where he will be charged officially.

“I can’t name the person until he appears before the disciplinary committee. We take the allegations in a serious light and want to follow the right procedure so we don’t get challenged at the end for not following the proper channels.

“We would rather take our time to get it right, instead of rushing it,” he said.

De Villiers added that league prosecutors had interviewed about 11 people.

This was after Moroka Swallows lodged an official complaint in May related to alleged match-fixing in the relegation battle.

Swallows and AmaZulu then applied for an urgent interdict – for the play-offs to be stopped – but lost the case. Both clubs have since been relegated to the National First Division.

Meanwhile, defending league champions Kaizer Chiefs will begin their title defence away to Chippa United on the opening weekend of the new season.

After hosting Chiefs, United will travel to Gauteng for a meeting with Orlando Pirates in their second game. The Bucs play SuperSport United in their opening fixture.

Although Pirates’ two opening fixtures will coincide with their CAF Confederation Cup matches, they will play their league fixtures midweek.

De Villiers said he did not envisage any fixture congestion next season.

He said the league had made provision for the national Under-23s if they qualified for the CAF Under-23 championships in Senegal in November. The eight-team tournament will be used as a qualifier for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

De Villiers added that this was done in conjunction with Safa, which had made it clear that the qualifiers were a priority this year.

But first Owen da Gama’s team needs to get over the hurdle of beating Zimbabwe next month.

The first round of league matches will see the newly promoted Jomo Cosmos and Golden Arrows starting life in the Absa Premiership against Maritzburg United and the University of Pretoria.

The two newcomers will play each other in their second games.

Absa Premiership opening round (August 8/9)

Free State Stars vs Black Aces

Polokwane City vs Bloem Celtic

Platinum Stars vs Mamelodi Sundowns

Chippa United vs Kaizer Chiefs

Bidvest Wits vs Ajax Cape Town

Golden Arrows vs AmaTuks

SuperSport vs Orlando Pirates

Maritzburg United vs Jomo Cosmos

Absa Premiership second round (Date TBA)

Orlando Pirates vs Chippa United

Ajax Cape Town vs Maritzburg United

AmaTuks vs Pololokwane City

Black Aces vs SuperSport United

Kaizer Chiefs vs Free State Stars

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bidvest Wits

Bloem Celtic vs Platinum Stars

Jomo Cosmos vs Golden Arrows

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