- Renaissance Berkane has been granted a 3-0 victory over USM Alger after a jersey-related dispute led to the cancellation of their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final match.
- The conflict arose when Berkane’s jerseys, depicting a map including Western Sahara, were seized by Algerian customs, leading to Berkane’s refusal to play in alternative shirts.
- CAF upheld Berkane’s right to wear their jerseys, while the FAF plans to challenge the decision in the international sports court.
Renaissance Berkane from Morocco has been declared the victor with a score of 3-0 against their Algerian counterparts, USM Alger, in the semi-finals of the CAG Confederation Cup.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided “to sanction USM Alger with a 0-3 forfeit for the USM Alger vs RS Berkane match,” as stated in a letter from CAF to the Algerian football federation this Wednesday.
This decision came after the match was called off due to a dispute concerning team jerseys.
The controversy started the previous Friday when the Moroccan team landed in Algeria before the initial match.
The team’s jerseys were seized by customs officials because they featured a depiction of Morocco’s map that encompasses the contentious Western Sahara region.
Western Sahara, a territory predominantly under Moroccan administration but also claimed by the Polisario Front backed by Algeria, has been a point of contention, contributing to the severance of diplomatic ties between Algeria and Morocco since 2021.
Just before the game was supposed to start on Sunday, USM Alger’s sports director, Toufik Korichi, announced that the game would be canceled since Berkane declined to play in alternative jerseys.
Following an objection by the Algerian football federation (FAF) concerning the jerseys, CAF had sided with Berkane acknowledging that the team had consistently worn those jerseys throughout the tournament.
Subsequently, FAF’s president, Walid Sadi, has expressed his intention to escalate the matter to the international sports court.
The follow-up match scheduled to be held at Berkane’s local stadium on April 28, 2024, will proceed as planned.
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