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In a bid to reverse the sanction slammed on them, Algeria’s USM Alger look to be losing the battle as the Committee for the Organization of Interclub Competitions and the Management of the Club Licensing System which awarded the first leg match of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final duel to the visiting RS Berkane of Morocco is sticking to their guns.
The appeal contested the decision of the CAF Clubs Committee, which awarded Nahdet Berkane a 3-0 victory over USM Alger in the first leg of the CAF Cup semi-final match and referred the file to the Disciplinary Committee for possible disciplinary sanctions.
The Appeals Committee consisted of Roli Harriman (Nigeria) as chairman, Thimoti Masongama (Malawi) as a member, and Moses Ikanga (Namibia) as a member.
The continental body on Friday confirmed the verdict of the Organising Committee and thus threw away the appeal by Algeria.
The row began last Friday morning when the Moroccan squad arrived in Algeria ahead of the first-leg tie.
Customs officers confiscated Berkane’s shirts on the grounds that they carried a map of Morocco that included the disputed Western Sahara.
Shortly before Sunday’s kick-off, USM Alger sporting director Toufik Korichi told Algerian radio that the match would not be played because Berkane refused to take to the pitch in any other shirts
The former Spanish colony of Western Sahara is largely controlled by Morocco but claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks the territory’s independence.
Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021, partly over the issue.
On Saturday, CAF responded to an appeal against the shirts by the Algerian football federation (FAF) by ruling in favour of Berkane, saying the club had been wearing the same jerseys since the start of the tournament.
However, the second leg match at the Berkane municipal stadium on April 28, 2024, is maintained with the Moroccans having a 3-0 first leg advantage without kicking a ball.