Sudan’s Appeals Committee returns league title to Al Hilal after overturning Al Merrikh ruling

The Sudanese Football Association’s Appeals Committee has stripped Al Merrikh of the Elite League title and returned it to Al Hilal after overturning an earlier decision over the clubs’ derby match.

The committee had previously awarded the championship to Al Merrikh after ruling that the points from the meeting between the two sides at Khartoum Stadium should be transferred to the red-shirted club.

But on Tuesday, it accepted a review request submitted by Al Hilal and cancelled that decision. The committee instead approved the result recorded in the match referee’s report, which showed Al Hilal winning 1-0.

That ruling means Al Hilal have regained the title and ends the dispute over the identity of the competition’s champions.

In an official statement, Al Hilal said the committee had accepted its review request both procedurally and on its merits. It also confirmed that the previous decision to award the points from the derby to Al Merrikh Khartoum had been annulled, with the match result now recognised as recorded in the referee’s report.

The club said the Appeals Committee held two meetings on 9 and 10 November to examine the request and the accompanying documents before reaching its final decision.

The meetings were chaired by Mohamed Hamad Al Bashir, with Mohamed Issa and Zuhair Abdelmalik serving as members. Al Zain Al Dukhairi was also a member and acted as rapporteur.

The committee’s latest ruling cancels the punishment that had handed Al Merrikh the points from the “top-flight” derby and restores the Premier League title to Al Hilal.