Algeria Takes Confederation Cup Dispute to Court of Arbitration for Sport

"The case is at the CAS level. We, as the Algerian Football Federation, are with our team and we will defend it to the end," said Walid Sadi, president of the FAF, to the press on Saturday, May 25. He added: "We are only asking for the application of recognized laws and texts."

The dispute over the jersey containing a map of Morocco integrating the Sahara worn by the Moroccan players ultimately led to the cancellation of the first leg of the Confederation Cup semi-finals scheduled for the evening of Sunday, April 21 between the Algerian team USM Alger and the Moroccan team RS Berkane. The match between the two clubs did not take place despite the decision of the Interclub Competitions Organization Commission authorizing RS Berkane to wear its jerseys in Algiers. A political interference that the governing body of African football does not tolerate.

The Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) not only rejected the appeal of the Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger team against the decision of the CAF Interclub Competitions Organization Commission, but also awarded the victory to the Renaissance de Berkane team by three goals to zero, confirming the previous decisions of the Clubs Commission. Similarly, the jury confirmed the decisions taken by the Interclub Competitions Organization Commission and the Club Licensing Management System of the CAF on Wednesday, April 24. These decisions were unanimously endorsed by the nine members of the Commission.

The Confederation Cup final was thus played in a home-and-away format on May 12 and 19. Beaten 2-1 in the first leg by Renaissance de Berkane, Zamalek won the return leg, thus clinching its 2nd trophy in the competition after that of 2019.