This reverses an earlier decision by the CAF executive committee to order a replay of the
second leg, in which the Moroccan side refused to play on after a VAR controversy.
Both clubs had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,
which last week found that the CAF executive
committee’s decision was wrong and ordered the case to be heard by CAF’s
disciplinary committee.
Both clubs were also fined after a
hearing in Cairo on Wednesday.
Wydad received a $20,000 fine for
abandoning the match and a further $15,000 (12,346.7 pounds)for the use of
flares by supporters. Esperance were handed a $50,000 fine for use of flares
and the throwing of projectiles by their supporters during the game in Tunis on
May 31.
The teams had drawn 1-1 in the
first leg of the final in Casablanca and Esperance were 1-0 up in the return
match when Wydad netted what they thought was a 59th-minute equaliser.
The
referee ruled it out for offside, however, and turned down animated appeals
from the Wydad players to consult the VAR because
the system was not working.
Wydad refused to play on and the
argument continued on the pitch between the teams and officials for some two
hours before the game was called off and Esperance were awarded the trophy.
Five days later, CAF’s executive
committee said the second leg must be replayed on neutral territory.
Esperance
appealed to CAS to be reinstated as
champions after Wydad’s walk-off, while the Moroccans argued they should be
declared winners or that both legs of the final be annulled and a single replay
ordered.
CAS rejected
Wydad’s argument, but said the question of whether the match would be replayed
would need to be considered by the appropriate CAF body
— the disciplinary committee.
Wednesday’s
decision is an embarrassing outcome for the beleaguered CAF executive
committee, which was unanimous in ordering a replay in what critics said was
pandering to the strong Moroccan influence on the organisation.
The
running of CAF was taken over last week
by FIFA general
secretary Fatma Samoura amid allegations of corruption.
Esperance will now play in the
Club World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.
They are also only the third club
to retain the continent’s top club prize, having won it in 2018.
By Globaltipsgh.com
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