Ater five months of uncertainty about their future as an affiliate of the National First Division, Dynamos have finally won their boardroom battle against Bay United and Carara Kicks.

Dynamos lodged complaints against Bay United and Carara Kicks after the final league matches last season. In their letters of complaint, Dynamos alleged that both Bay United and Carara Kicks had fielded improperly registered players in some of the league matches.

During the league’s disciplinary committee meetings which were held two months ago, both Bay United and Carara Kicks were found guilty as charged. United were ordered to pay a fine of R200 000, while the committee ordered that the points for the matches in which Thembile Taliwe was fielded, should be expunged from Carara Kicks.

The committee’s ruing did not go down well with both Carara Kicks and Bay United. They demonstrated their dissatisfaction by filing appeals with the South African Football Association (Safa). The appeal board of Safa ruled that the points for the matches in which Realeboga Bolly Matlou was fielded should be expunged from Bay United, contrary to the disciplinary committee's ruling, which had only imposed the monetary sanction on Bay United.

As for Carara Kicks, the appeals board concurred with the findings of the league’s disciplinary committee. Both Bay United and Carara Kicks were not happy with the findings of the appeals board and they opted to take the matter for arbitration.

Realising that they were chasing a wild goose, Bay United decided to withdraw the matter and offered to pay the costs for all the sittings. The arbitrator delivered its verdict last Thursday and confirmed the decisions taken by the PSL disciplinary committee and the Safa Appeals Board.

The arbitrator’s ruling implies that 17 points will be deducted from Carara Kicks. Carara Kicks will join Atlie FC on their way to the lower division and guarantee a place for Dynamos in the National First Division.