FIFA-troubled Royal AM has announced the return of former CEO Sinky Mnisi as Chief Operating Officer.

Mnisi left the club in June 2023 following his allegedly bad involvement in a FIFA case against striker Samir Nurkovic. Sportswire sources revealed that Mnisi allegedly signed Nurkovic without conducting a medical examination, despite the player arriving from Kaizer Chiefs with an injury.

Royal AM has since appealed the FIFA ban and taken the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The hearing for the case was scheduled for this month, but now on 11 October. If the appeal is successful, Royal AM will have only seven days to sign players, as the PSL transfer window closes on 20 September.

By bringing back Mnisi, Royal AM hopes to improve their chances of a favorable outcome in the CAS appeal and subsequently sign players. The club has been banned from signing players for three transfer windows.

Mnisi joined Royal AM as CEO in 2020 when the club purchased the status of Real Kings in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. He pledged to secure promotion for the club, and they achieved this goal. However, their top-spot position was challenged by Sekhukhune United, who successfully appealed against Polokwane City’s failure to field five under-23 players in their starting lineup and was awarded three points.

As a result, Royal AM moved to second place and was forced to participate in the PSL promotion and relegation playoffs. However, the club’s owner, Shauwn Mkhize, refused to play their allocated four matches, claiming they were the rightful champions.

Despite their failed protest, Royal AM decided to purchase the top-flight status of Bloemfontein Celtic ahead of the 2021/22 season.