Two of the four demoted teams in Eswatini are challenging their relegation from the topflight, a development that could throw the new season into chaos.
Rangers and Milling Hotspurs’ legal representatives have already written to the Eswatini Premier League questioning their relegation.
Their bone of contention is that the 2021/22 Premier League rules stated that two clubs should be relegated.
However, the amended rules on October 28, 2021, ratified by the Eswatini Football Association [EFA], stated that four bottom teams would be axed.
Eswatini PL rules
“The four clubs that have the least number of points on completion of the league and/or position 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th in the final log standing, shall be relegated from the Premier League Division to the National First Division,” reads the amended rules.
The two other teams relegated together with Shiselweni-based Rangers and Hotspurs of Manzini are Tinyosi and Malanti Chiefs, who both accepted their fate.
Their legal representatives gave the league until the end of Wednesday to attend to their clients’ matters.
“We acknowledge receipt of your email of the 16 contents whereof have been noted. Clients have advised us they will play in the National First Division according to a fixture. Yet, in terms of the rules in accordance with Article 11 [7], they do not fall within the teams to be relegated.
Last week, the Premier League of Eswatini launched an R19.5 million three-year sponsorship by MTN. Fixtures for the 2022/23 season followed, with the first game set for October 1.
The two clubs have threatened to drag the Premier League of Eswatini to court if they are not satisfied with their response on Wednesday.
Premier League of Eswatini CEO Kenneth Makhanya said they had received the correspondence and “are still processing the contents.”
The Eswatini Football Association said it had not officially received any communication.
