The semi-final first leg of the Confederation Cup, which was to take place on Sunday evening between USM Alger and RS Berkane, did not take place. CAF reacted to this cancellation.
In question? The Moroccan club wanted to wear a jersey showing the map of Morocco including Western Sahara (recognized by Algiers as an independent state) and also had the authorization of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which validated its tunic at the start of the season and rejected the appeal of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) on Sunday on this subject. Prevented by the Algerian authorities from being able to wear their jersey, the Berkane team decided to boycott this match. The governing body of African football expressed itself via a press release.
“ The semi-final first leg of the CAF TotalEnergies Confederation Cup, scheduled for this Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Algiers, between USM Alger and RS Berkane, did not take place. The matter will be brought before the competent authorities. CAF apologizes to sponsors, TV partners, and supporters for the inconvenience caused,” CAF reacted following the cancellation of this meeting.
The regulations agree with both camps…
It now remains to be seen what the “competent authorities” will decide. On X, journalist Mansour Loum tried to speculate on possible sanctions, based on the regulations. “ One camp will rely on point 49 to say that there is a political demonstration and the other on the provisions of point 6 relating to jerseys by saying that their jerseys have been validated for the competition and that therefore at the time of validating them was not judged as a political act or anything else. So who is right? ” asks our colleague.
This is going to be the whole battle. One camp will rely on point 49 to say that there is a political demonstration and the other on the provisions of point 6 relating to the jerseys by saying that their jerseys have been validated for the competition and that therefore at the time of…
“CAF will want to replay the match first”
“ Now CAF will be in trouble because if it scrupulously applies what it says, it will end in defeat for the USMA on the green carpet. But this punishes the club which has nothing to do with it. They will split the pear in two and try to replay the match, even if it is on neutral ground (the USMA will say no, out of the question of hosting outside Algeria and there will be another problem), ” continued the journalist. This matter could well be settled before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which could make a decision straight away as the return leg is scheduled for next Sunday in Morocco.
