Tunisia’s Esperance and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca both lodged appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) over the decision to replay the second leg of the African Champions League final.
The Sport’s highest court will rule on 31 July on how to resolve the chaotic African Champions League final which was abandoned in May due to the conditions of game and safety which were not met.
It followed Wydad’s decision to leave the pitch after an equaliser they scored was disallowed. Wydad wanted the video assistant referee to check if the goal should stand but the system was not working, with Esperance declared champions.
Later that week, Esperance were ordered by Caf to return the Champions League medals and trophy so that the game can be replayed.
However the 1-1 draw from the first leg in Morocco stands.
A statement from the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 15 July read;
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered the appeals filed by Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) on 14 June 2019 and by Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) on 17 June 2019 against the decision issued by the Executive Committee of the African Football Confederation (CAF) on 5 June 2019 in which they were ordered to replay the second leg of the CAF Champions League Final 2018/2019 on neutral ground (the “Challenged Decision”).
“In its appeal, Wydad Athletic Club mainly requests that the Challenged Decision be set aside and, consequently, to be declared winner of the 2018/2019 CAF Champions League and to receive the prize money allocated to the winner.
“Espérance Sportive de Tunis, in its appeal, seeks as main prayers for relief that the challenged decision be considered as null and void and, consequently, to be declared winner of the 2018/2019 CAF Champions League, to keep the trophy and medals awarded on 31 May 2019 and to order CAF to pay the prize money attributed to the winner.
“The clubs and the CAF have prepared and agreed upon a procedural timetable for the CAS arbitration, with a final decision to be issued, at the latest, on 31 July 2019.
“CAS will not provide any further information in relation to this procedure, except to issue a media release announcing the final decision.”
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