Algeria Penalized by CAF for Forfeiting Match Against Moroccan Club

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned Algerian club USM Alger with a 0-3 forfeit for failing to play their home match against Moroccan club RS Berkane in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final. In an official letter, CAF's Director of Tournaments and Events Samson Adamu stated that the CAF Committee for the Organization of Interclub Competitions and the Management of the Club Licensing System issued the forfeit and has submitted the case to the Disciplinary Jury for possible additional sanctions. "The Confederation of African Football (CAF) declared RS Berkane the winner of an African Confederation Cup game against USM Alger, despite Berkane not playing due to Algerian authorities' actions," the letter said.

The return match between RS Berkane and USM Alger is still scheduled for April 28, 2024, but it remains doubtful if USM Alger will honor the fixture. Algeria had previously pulled out of an Arab Handball Championship match against Morocco due to the map on the Moroccan team's shirts. The long-standing political differences between Morocco and Algeria have spilled over into sports, with CAF now taking action to address such crises.

The controversy began when Algerian authorities seized RS Berkane's jerseys upon their arrival in Algeria, as the shirts featured an outline of Morocco including the disputed territory of Western Sahara. This led to the match being suspended, with the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) submitting a formal protest to CAF, which was reportedly rejected. The FAF now plans to take the issue further to FIFA and potentially the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Why this matters: The incident highlights the ongoing political tensions between Morocco and Algeria over the status of Western Sahara, which have increasingly impacted sporting events. The dispute threatens to further escalate, potentially drawing in international sports governing bodies and arbitration courts.

The Algerian U17 handball team has also withdrawn from an Arab championship to avoid playing against a Moroccan squad with jerseys bearing Morocco's full map including Sahara provinces. CAF had previously judged that withholding the jerseys is an unlawful act that will trigger sanctions against Algeria's football federation. Algeria's continued hostility to Morocco's territorial sovereignty is leading to diplomatic blows and self-isolation, as it withdraws or obstructs games with Moroccan teams, which is set to draw severe sanctions on Algerian sports clubs.

Key Takeaways

• CAF sanctions Algerian club USM Alger with 0-3 forfeit for failing to play match.
• Algeria pulled out of Arab Handball Championship match against Morocco over map on jerseys.
• Algerian authorities seized RS Berkane's jerseys featuring Western Sahara, leading to match suspension.
• Algeria plans to escalate the issue to FIFA and CAS, threatening further sports sanctions.
• Algeria's hostility to Morocco's territorial claims is leading to diplomatic and sports isolation.