Emma Jemegah
The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has refused to accept the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to award Esperance of Tunisia the disputed CAF Champions League trophy.
CAF Executive Committee had on June 5 ordered for a replay of the CAF Champions League final between Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco and Esperance Sportive de Tunis, but both clubs approached CAS for adjudication and on June 31, CAS awarded the decision to the Tunisian side.
But in a statement yesterday, CAF said the decision couldn’t stand until the competent bodies meet to decide on the case. “In reference to the appeals filed by Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco and Espérance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia against the decision of the CAF Executive Committee taken on June 5, 2019, ordering the replay of the second leg of the Total CAF Champions League 2018/19 final, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 31 July 2019 issued a partial decision.
“The CAS Panel annulled the decision of the CAF Executive Committee only for procedural reasons. However, CAF had yet to receive the summarized decision.
“The CAS Panel has decided to refer the case to the competent CAF bodies to apply the appropriate disciplinary sanctions, if any, and accordingly decide whether the second leg of the Total CAF Champions League 2018/19 season shall be replayed or not. “In this regard, CAF announces that the competent bodies will meet shortly to decide on the case and details will be communicated in due course,” the CAF statement read.