Ajax Cape Town have been relegated from the Premiership after being docked points for fielding ineligible player Tendai Ndoro, the SA Football Association announced on Tuesday.
Arbitrator William Mokhari delivered his verdict on the Ajax Cape Town/Ndoro matter which found Ajax Cape Town guilty and docked points in matches against Platinum Stars, Polokwane City and SuperSport United.
Ajax had finished 15th on the Premiership log, ahead of Platinum Stars who finished bottom and were sentenced to automatic relegation.
The judgement, however, means Ajax are now automatically relegated to the National First Division and Stars will now take the place of the Cape side in the Premiership promotion/relegation play-offs scheduled to start on Wednesday.
Ajax had been scheduled to play Black Leopards on Wednesday in the first promotion/relegation match, and the revised fixtures have yet to be announced.
Ndoro was in breach of the Fifa rule which states a player may not appear for more than two clubs in a season.
The Zimbabwean striker played one game for Orlando Pirates in August, before signing and playing for Saudi Arabian side Al Faisaly.
Signing for Ajax in December, Ndoro played seven games for the Cape side.
Ajax, though, can still appeal the ruling with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The club is now in the process of preparing papers to be filed urgently before the High Court in Johannesburg for the matter to be heard on Wednesday.
Amongst other issues, Ajax will seek to interdict the promotion playoffs from commencing on Wednesday 16th May at 3pm.
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