It has long been said that the PSL is a ticking time bomb, and this is partly reflected in the clubs that have, scandalously, recently made it onto the Fifa transfer ban list over the past few months.
The clubs Richards Bay and Marumo Gallants, along with embattled Royal AM are on the list after having been punished because, in most cases, they have not respected players' contracts. Over the years, several clubs have acted with abandon, showing no regard for sound governance.
This lack of sound governance is also evident in the way the mother body has conducted their affairs most recently. The Royal AM mess has come about because of the PSL's failure in that department.
Had the PSL adhered to their handbook, they would have conducted thorough due diligence. This exercise would have flagged any issues regarding the owners' financial stability and integrity.
A few months ago, PSL chairman Irvin Khoza said that he was grateful a buyer Royal AM came along when Bloemfontein Celtic could no longer afford to run a Premiership franchise, reflecting the PSL's desperation. The legaue's image, however, has been severely tarnished by the ensueing debacle.