- Nurkovic joined Royal AM before the start of last season
- But he never featured in any official match
- The Serb then left the club and a legal wrangle ensued
WHAT HAPPENED? The Serb reported the KwaZulu-Natal club to Fifa after he was dismissed by the club last October not long after being released by Chiefs. Royal AM had terminated his two-year contract, two months into the deal, without compensation as the club argued he was on sick leave for a long period.
But the striker who was injured for the better part of his time at the club approached the world football governing body and Fifa ruled in his favour. Royal AM have until Monday to settle the amount they were ordered to pay Nurkovic.
SABC Sport reports that Thwihli Thwahla owe Nurkovic R12 million which includes the player’s salary for the entire contract, his representatives’ fees and interest accrued from delay in paying him.
WHAT WAS SAID: “I do expect them to pay inside this prescribed deadline in order to put this case all behind us once and for all, and to avoid additional bans,” Nurkovic’s lawyer Davor Lazic told SABC Sport.
“I don’t’ see a way in which the club wouldn’t respect a Fifa decision. There is no way to appeal this anymore – it’s either you respect it or not. If you don’t, then you face the consequences as a club.
“And if you want to be a part of Fifa and world football then you should follow the rules.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: If Royal AM fail to pay Nurkovic at the instructed date, they face possible sanctions from Fifa. They could be banned from signing players for at least two transfer windows.
Failing to sign players would hurt the club's prospects of challenging for trophies going into the new season. At this stage, it is not yet clear if Thwihli Thwahla have appealed against Fifa's ruling.
WHAT NEXT FOR NURKOVIC? The former Amakhosi forward was recently reported to have been training with Cape Town City and coach Eric Tinkler was said to have been impressed.
