CAF has delivered its verdict in the case of the semi-final first leg of the African Confederation Cup USM Algiers – RS Berkane. The competition organizing committee which met on Wednesday decided to sanction USM Alger with a forfeit by attributing to it a 3-0 defeat for the first leg. The Algerian club filed a request with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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Three days of waiting and finally this decision in favor of the Berkane Renaissance. The Moroccan club emerges victorious from this imbroglio with USM Algiers since this semi-final first leg of the Confederation Cup which should have taken place on Sunday April 21. As a reminder, the RSB did not show up at the kick-off of the meeting, but its leaders explained their action by the attitude of the Algerian authorities who confiscated Berkane’s jerseys upon the arrival of the delegation at the Algiers airport.
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Jerseys of discord, due to the presence of a map of Morocco including Western Sahara, a territory claimed by the Kingdom while the Algerian supports the separatists of the Polisario Front. A sensitive subject which crystallizes tensions between the two countries for half a century.
Without their jerseys, the Moroccans decided not to play and CAF therefore considered that they were within their sporting rights. They therefore won this match 3-0 on the green carpet.
USMA will go to Morocco for the return match
Faced with this decision, the USMA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. “ According to FIFA law, November 2, 2022, it is strictly prohibited to have cards on jerseys, argument Taoufik Korichi, the sports director of the USMA. We do not know if CAF has its own rules that contradict those of FIFA. We have filed an appeal, through the Algerian Federation, at the FIFA level, and one thing is certain, we will go to the end to defend the rights of our club. »
The two clubs must play the semi-final second leg of this Confederation Cup on Sunday in Berkane. “ USMA will indeed travel to Morocco to play the match against RS Berkane », assured Taoufik Korichi.
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