The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to impose severe sanctions on USM Alger (USMA) following the team’s withdrawal from the CAF Cup semi-final against RS Berkane. Additionally, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) may also face repercussions for the incident.
USM Alger’s decision to pull out of the CAF Cup semi-final against RS Berkane has sparked outrage and is expected to result in significant penalties from CAF.
The team had previously been declared losers by default (3-0) in the first leg of the semi-final, but further sanctions are anticipated for the defending champions.
According to CAF regulations, a team withdrawing from the competition after qualifying for the quarter-final and semi-final stages incurs a fine of fifty thousand US dollars ($50,000).
Furthermore, any team withdrawing from the tournament after the fixture list has been established faces a ban from participating in all CAF interclub competitions for the next two editions following the withdrawal.
The ramifications of USM Alger’s withdrawal may extend beyond the team itself, as the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) is also likely to face scrutiny.
According to CAF regulations, in the event of a team’s withdrawal, its federation assumes responsibility for the financial and other consequences as determined by the Interclub Commission and/or the CAF disciplinary jury.
The withdrawal of USM Alger from the CAF Cup semi-final has sent shockwaves through African football, raising questions about the integrity of the competition and the consequences of such actions on both the club and its governing body.
