The A-League finals "could still be thrown into chaos despite Perth Glory temporarily dropping plans to appeal" in the Supreme Court against Football Federation Australia’s decision to dump it from the playoffs, according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. The club was due to front the WA Supreme Court on Monday "after FFA determined the club would be relegated to seventh spot at the end of the season" and fined A$269,000 ($204,000) for a series of salary cap breaches. The Perth team at first elected to bypass FFA’s appeals process and "filed an injunction on Friday with the Supreme Court, just hours after learning of the heavy sanctions -- the toughest penalties handed down in the 10-season history of the A-League." After taking advice, however, Glory officials issued a statement saying they had suspended the legal action "in the spirit of the game." Glory has until next Tuesday to lodge its appeal with an FFA Disciplinary Committee "to be chaired by senior counsel John Marshall." The outcome of the appeal "is likely to be handed down in the week leading up to the final round of the regular season." If the decision goes against Glory there is nothing stopping it from resuming the Supreme Court process "to seek an injunction against the head body." That "would leave the finals series in limbo." Perth was "found guilty on Friday of deliberately failing to disclose reportable benefits and payments to at least six players" and for operating A$400,000 ($303,700) in excess of the league’s A$2.55M ($1.94M) salary cap for this season. But "the club was adamant it would be under the salary cap this season, that all payments to players, coaches and administration staff were made directly by the club’s finance department and that the club had co-operated with the FFA" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 4/14).
