Latest news with #JohnComitis
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Relegated Cape Town City demand harsher punishment for Marumo Gallants in fight to stay up
Still fighting Cape Town CCity chairperson John Comitis is not giving up the fight to remain in the Betway Premiership. Photo: BackpagePix Relegated Cape Town City have demanded a harsher punishment for Marumo Gallants, who were fined R200 000 for fielding an incorrectly registered Monde Mpambaniso during the Betway Premiership campaign. City had hoped the Bloemfontein-based club would be hit with the stiffest penalty possible – a points deduction – for their indiscretion, but the PSL's Disciplinary Committee handed them a fine after they pleaded guilty to the charge. A points deduction for every game the player played would have seen the club drop to the bottom of the league, which could have led to City remaining in the top flight. City finished second from bottom in the league last season and failed to successfully navigate their way through the promotion/relegation play-offs. And now, after not getting their way, Cape Town City have vowed to fight, with chairman John Comitis saying they will be going back to the SAFA Arbitration Tribunal.
IOL News
01-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Cape Town City running out of road in bid to reverse relegation after Gallants ruling
Running out of options? Cape Town City chairman John Comitis has hinted that they may have to buy another club's status in order to stay in the Betway Premiership. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Cape Town City must now accept they'll be playing in the Motsepe Foundation Championship next season, having run out of options. Ever since they were relegated from the Betway Premiership, the Western Cape club have been exploring possible avenues of remaining in the league. On Thursday, they watched as their best chance went up in smoke. The club had been pursuing a case against Marumo Gallants, who had been accused of fielding an incorrectly registered player during the league campaign. After the PSL had initially refused to act, City approached the SAFA arbitration tribunal, who ruled in their favour and said the PSL had to deal with the matter. City wanted the stiffest sentence possible – a points deduction – to be given to Gallants. A points deduction would have seen the Bloemfontein-based club drop to the bottom of the league, which would have saved City from relegation. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ However, Gallants pleaded guilty and escaped with just a R200,000 fine. It marked yet another door slammed shut for City. Earlier, newly promoted Orbit College insisted they had big ambitions and were not entertaining selling their status. The same was said by Richards Bay, who turned down a massive offer of R72 million. 'I've got someone I won't mention by name who sent me a message saying there's a desperate club looking to buy into the top flight,' Richards Bay boss Sfiso Jomo Biyela said earlier last month, according to FARPost. 'They stated that they put up R60 million. They told me if I sign, the money can kick in just the next day. And they also put R12 million or R15 million – it'll be up to me if I take the status in the NFD. 'Think about it – it's R72 million. I asked them if they knew what a legacy meant. I said to them, legacy is priceless – there's no value you can table here. Try elsewhere.' Currently, TS Galaxy's financial woes could give City their last chance of staying up. TS Galaxy find themselves in a tight financial corner, which could force the Mpumalanga outfit to sell their status. Tim Sukazi's side, who finished fifth in the league last season, won't be able to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign due to a transfer ban. The punishment stems from an unpaid balance owed to Ivorian forward Bernard Yao Kouassi, who had signed in January 2023 but left by August without playing. FIFA ruled that TS Galaxy had breached his contract by failing to pay his dues, triggering a ban on registering new players for three consecutive transfer windows. On top of that, there's the case with Jegbay Morris Konneh – another Ivorian – who joined the club last July but left after six months without getting paid. Last week, a FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber ruled that the club must pay around R319,000 for six months of salary, plus 5% interest from August 1, 2024. Additionally, they owe around R1.79 million in compensation for breach of contract, also with 5% interest from December 31, 2024. Failure to pay this within 45 days will result in another ban over three windows. If TS Galaxy fail to resolve their financial woes soon, they risk collapsing under the weight of mounting debts and administrative sanctions. Owner Tim Sukazi could well be tempted to sell the club, opening the door for John Comitis and Cape Town City's bid to stay in the top flight. For now, City's only hope lies in another club's misfortune – a harsh reminder of how brutal survival in South African football can be. IOL Sport Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
The Herald
01-08-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Gallants fined R200,000, no points docked, for Mphambaniso registration
'Mindful of the circumstances, the context and the background against which the player was registered, Gallants pleaded guilty and were subsequently convicted as such. 'Coming to the issue of sanction, having listening to the evidence in aggravation and mitigation and the prevailing contextual background pertaining to the matter, which I must add was subjected to disciplinary proceedings served before appeal tribunals, including a recent arbitration that resulted in a directive by the arbitrator they [Marumo] be charged, the PSL ruled Marumo Gallants be fined the amount of R200,000, half of which is immediately payable, and the other half suspended for 24 months on condition that during the period of suspension they're not found guilty of the same offence,' the verdict read. 'Marumo were further directed to carry the costs of the DC hearing up until the matter was finalised. 'With regard to the player, he was found not guilty and in the result no sanction was meted out to him.' Attempts to reach City owner John Comitis to comment on whether they will appeal the DC verdict were not successful.
TimesLIVE
29-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Cape Town City, Gallants case could throw PSL season into chaos
Cape Town City chair John Comitis is not getting excited yet despite his side having won a case at a South African Football Association (Safa) arbitration hearing against Marumo Gallants that could throw the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season into disarray. The Citizens filed a case against Gallants, arguing midfielder Monde Mphambaniso was not properly registered when signed from the team when it in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) in the 2023-24 season. They sold that franchise and it which subsequently became Leruma United. Gallants returned to the Premiership ahead of the 2024-25 season by buying the franchise of Moroka Swallows. City alleged Gallants violated Rule 31.8.9.3 of the NSL handbook, which requires a clearance certificate to be submitted to the league in cases where a player has previously been registered as a professional with a member club.
The South African
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Cape Town City lose R16 million-worth star for free!
Cape Town City are feeling the pain of being relegated from the Betway Premiership to the Motsepe Foundation Championship. The Citizens had a chance to save their topflight status via the promotion/relegation playoffs last month. However, things just didn't go their way as Orbit College secured their place in the 16-team Betway Premiership. Now, City chairman John Comitis is on record to say going down to the Motsepe Foundation Championship would come with financial losses. But it doesn't end there as they have already lost some of their top players, including Thamsanqa Mkhize, Darren Keet, Thulani Serero, Fortune Makaringe, Amadou Soukouna, Haashim Domingo, Lorenzo Gordinho, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Nathan Fasika. Now, on Wednesday, FARPost reported that former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates target Thabo Nodada had left City. Nodada was the longest-serving member of this City team having relocated with them to Cape Town in 2016. He stayed loyal to City despite several enticing offers from both Chiefs and Pirates when he was at his peak. However, that relationship has come to an end, and the 30-year-old midfielder, worth R16 million, is on the market for a new home. Thabo Nodada models the new Cape Town City home kit. Image: @CapeTownCityFC / Twitter 'Thabo Nodada is the latest senior player to leave Cape Town City FC as the club's squad continues to see an exodus following their recent relegation to the second-tier league,' reads part of the report. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
