More confusion as CAS set aside Caf's decision for Champions league replay
31st July 2019
The court of arbitration for sports (CAS) has overturned Caf's decision for the replay of the Caf Champions league second leg finals instead partially upholding the appeals of both teams.
This follows a petition by both teams Esperance de Tunis and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco to the adjudicatory body following Caf's quest for a replay of that game which ended abruptly.
Wydad stormed off the pitch in protest of the referee's decision to disallow a goal they deemed correct with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) faulty .
Esperance were winning 2-1 on aggregate and declared champions initially.
The home side were handed the trophy and winner's medals after a two-hour delay on 1 June, but were told to return them days later after Caf ordered a replay on neutral grounds, citing what they deemed "unsafe conditions".
In a statement released by CAS ,they stated that Caf's Executive Committee has no power to make such a decision.
"The CAS Panel in charge of this matter has considered that the CAF Executive Committee did not have jurisdiction to order that the second leg of the final be replayed and has decided to annul the decision challenged. The appeals of both clubs are therefore partially upheld for that reason"
"It is now for the competent CAF authorities to review the incidents which occurred in the Radès stadium on 31 May 2019, to order the appropriate disciplinary sanctions, if any, and accordingly to decide whether the second legof the CAF Champions League Final 2018/2019 shall be replayed or not".
"The CAS Panel having annulled the decision of the CAF Executive Committee for formal reasons, it has decided to refer to the competent CAF bodies the questions of the replay of the final’s second leg and of the disciplinary procedure, which is currently pending before the CAF and which does not fall within the CAS jurisdiction in the present arbitration procedure."
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