As for the first leg, CAF awarded RS Berkane the aborted return match against USM Algiers with a score of 3-0 following the withdrawal of the Algerian club. RS Berkane will play the final of the Confederation Cup against Zamalek Cairo, winner of Ghanaian Dreams FC. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport has yet to rule on the appeal by the Algerian Federation and the USMA.
The decision fell on May 1, but the cause was logically heard. RS Berkane is qualified for the final of the Confederation Cup following the semi-final return against Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger (USMA), according to a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) .
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) reports CAF’s decision to grant RS Berkane a 3-0 victory against USMA, which was again withdrawn from the return match on April 28. The FRMF adds that the case is transferred to the Disciplinary Jury for possible sanctions.
In the final, Berkane will host Zamalek on May 12 and play the return match on May 19 in Cairo.
The USMA will therefore not be able to defend its title following its two withdrawals in the semi-final against RS Berkane to protest against the map of Morocco including Western Sahara which appears in the logo on the Berkanis jersey. On both the outward and return legs, CAF therefore sanctioned the Algerians with a 3-0 defeat.
On the Algerian side, all eyes are on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. La Gazette du Fennec relays the CAS press release dated May 2 relating to the appeal filed by the Algerian Football Federation and the USMA against the CAF, Moroccan Federation (FRMF) and RS Berkane. As the CAS states, “The appellants consider that it presents a political message, contravening the Laws of the Game, CAF regulations and those of FIFA.”
“The case is well under investigation at its level” underlines this account which follows all the news of Algerian football.
For the record, this appeal concerns the first decision of CAF to grant victory to RS Berkane in the first leg of April 21.
(Re)read Discord over the Moroccan jersey: CAF attributes victory to RS Berkane
