Algerian club Union Sportive de la Medina’ d’Alger, popularly known as USMA, has been dealt a double blow after the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), threw out its two appeals against Morocco’s Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RS Berkane).
Berkane was given two walkovers last season in their CAF Confederation Cup semi final following a boycott by their opponents USMA.
USMA refused to play their Moroccan opponents, protesting the map on their jerseys, which contained the entire Moroccan landmass, including the contested Western Sahara region.
Drama ensued during the 1st leg of the semi in Algiers after Algerian authorities confiscated Berkane’s jersey upon arrival and detained the visiting team at the airport, leading to a standoff between two neighbouring countries.
CAF intervened and ruled in favour of Berkane, saying they were in order to don the jerseys, and awarded the Moroccan’s side a 3-0 walkover.
USMA refused to travel to Morocco for a return leg and instead filed an appeal at the CAS requesting the replay of the matches and that Berkane be punished and stopped from using the kits.
In its ruling today, CAS said the jerseys worn by Berkane were within the law and refused the replay of the match as requested by the Algerian Football Federation.
CAS also rejected sanctioning Berkane and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) over the matter.
However, history is likely to repeat itself, as Berkane, who finished as last year’s runner-up, may end up meeting Algerian opponents in the semi-final this season.
Berkane will face Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosas in the quarterfinal, with the winner facing the winner of an all-Algeria last 8 match between CS Constantine and USMA.
