CAF Confederation Cup
CAS upholds Algerian appeal in football shirt map dispute
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday ruled in favour of the Algerian football federation in a row over a map of Morocco on shirts worn by Renaissance Berkane in the 2024 CAF Confederation Cup.
Algerian club USM Alger were kicked out of last year’s competition after both legs of their semi-final against Berkane were cancelled because of a diplomatic dispute.
Neither match took place as USMA and the Algerian authorities objected to a map of Morocco on the Berkane shirts which included Western Sahara.
Algeria cut diplomatic ties with North African neighbours Morocco in 2021, partly over the Western Sahara issue.
The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco but claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks the territory’s independence.
The Confederation of African Football awarded Berkane a 3-0 victory for both legs of the semi-final.
CAF at the time responded to an appeal by the Algerian FA by ruling in favour of Berkane, saying the club had been wearing the same jerseys since the start of the tournament.
But the Algerian FA took the case to sport’s highest court in Switzerland, which determined that the shirts in question were “contrary to CAF regulations, as they display a territorial map that is of a political nature.”
“The image of a map of Morocco including Western Sahara on the shirts of RS Berkane depicts a message, a demonstration or propaganda of a political nature as it represents the assertion of a territorial dispute that is contested and still unresolved as of today,” CAS said in a statement.
“By the laws of the game of the International Football Association Board, it is prohibited to convey any content of a political nature on all equipment, including shirts.”
CAS added that the initial decision by CAF to “maintain the approval of the shirts is annulled”, but the court said that it would have no effect on the results of the tournament.
Egypt’s Zamalek beat Berkane on away goals in the final.
-AFP
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Moroccan club RS Berkane has welcomed a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirming its victory over Algeria’s USM Algiers in the semi-finals of the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup, even though CAS affirmed that the shirt in question should no longer be allowed by the Confederation of African Football, CAF.
CAS added that the initial decision by CAF to “maintain the approval of the shirts is annulled”, but the court said that it would have no effect on the results of the tournament.
In a statement on Wednesday, the RS Berkane said it had received the CAS decision, which rejected USM Algiers’ appeal to annul the results of both legs and impose sanctions on Berkane.
“The ruling upholds RS Berkane’s victory without any penalties, a decision that has been met with great satisfaction by our supporters,” the club said.
The CAS decision effectively ends the dispute, cementing Berkane’s place in the tournament’s final standings.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the two appeals filed by Algeria’s club, Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger, known as USM Alger against Morocco’s Renaissance Sportive de Berkane.
This is the offshoot of a controversial CAF Confederation Cup semi-final duels last year.
Renaissance Sportive de Berkane advanced to the final match without having to kick the ball as CAF ruled that the Algerian club forfeited the two-legged matches.
Algeria had confiscated the shirts of the Moroccan side for having a map on the attire.
The map features the full land mass of Morocco, including the Western Sahara which is being disputed by Algeria’s allies, Sahrawi.
CAF approved the shirts from the onset of the season. The Moroccan team could not enter Algeria until the intervention of the CAF. Even, then, the Algerian did not allow the first leg match to hold on account of the shirts.
They later did not show up for the return leg, even though they arrived in Morocco, prompting CAF to also award the return leg to Renaissance Sportive de Berkane.
The Algerians lodged an appeal to CAS asking that the match forfeiture be upturned and matches replayed.
The Algerian Football Federation, FAF also asked for an end to the authorization of the Berkane jersey.
Both appeals were rejected. CAS ruled that the use of the controversial jersey was within the law.
TAS rejected USMA’s request and confirmed the result of the match.
Related: https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2025/02/25/another-morocco-algeria-fiasco-looms-in-caf-cup/
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Like last season, Morocco’s Renaissance Sportive de Berkane could find itself facing an Algerian club in the semi-final of the CAF Cup.
The draw for the Confederation Cup placed Renaissance Sportive de Berkane against the Ivorians of ASEC Mimosas.
In case of qualification, the Moroccans will face the winners of the Algerian derby between CS Constantine and USM Alger.
It is therefore possible to relive a remake of the episode which marked the last edition of the same competition and at the same semi-final stage in which the Algerian team, USM Alger was disqualified for not allowing their two-legged match to hold on account of the inscription of Moroccan map on Berkane’s shirts.
The shirt at the centre of the controversy
CAF ruled that the shirt, which Berkane had worn throughout the series, did not infringe any rule. The Algerian federation appealed the ruling but lost at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
A repeat of the scenario looms large.
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