CAF Takes Action Against Moroccan Club Amid Controversy
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has found itself in a precarious situation following a recent scandal involving a Moroccan club. This incident has pushed CAF, led by President Patrice Motsepe, to consider punitive measures in response to breaches of its regulations. The controversy recalls a similar episode from two years ago when Moroccan club Nahdat Berkane refused to play a semi-final match against Union Algerienne due to a disputed map, which resulted in no disciplinary actions against Berkane, while Algerian teams were unjustly penalized.
In the latest incident, Moroccan club Olympic Safi is likely to be declared defeated on forfeit due to the actions of its fans, who stormed the pitch prior to kickoff, attacking the Algerian delegation. It is particularly troubling that both the match referee and the match commissioner allowed a delay of over an hour in the match’s start due to this incursion. According to CAF regulations outlined in Article 17, Clause 9, host team security is obligated to prevent any pitch invasions and attacks on players or officials. Clearly, the Moroccan security forces failed to uphold their responsibilities, endangering the safety of the Algerian delegation and fans in attendance.
Concerns Over Match Regulations and Safety Protocols
Additionally, Clause 6 of Article 17 mandates that the visiting team has the right to a training session on the eve of the match at the same time the match is scheduled to take place. However, Union Algerienne trained at 8 PM the night before, while the actual match began a staggering 80 minutes late. This significant delay indicates a lack of adherence to CAF regulations by the organizing club, Olympic Safi, which forced Union Algerienne to train outside the official timing.
Moreover, Clause 3 of Article 9 explicitly states that the timing of knockout stage matches is determined by the CAF competitions committee after consulting the host nation’s federation. Once the time is established, changes are only permissible under exceptional circumstances approved by the competitions committee. The decision by the match officials not to cancel the game despite the evident security failures and the pitch invasion by hundreds of home fans represents a dangerous and irresponsible judgment. It is imperative for CAF to escalate this issue to its legal bodies, given that it previously acted against Union Algerienne in a similar manner, fully aware that the fault lies with the Moroccan teams, whether it was Nahdat Berkane or now Olympic Safi.
As reported by elkhabar.com.
