CAF fines Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates millions after violent incidents and security breaches during CAF Champions League clashes.
Mamelodi Sundowns have been slammed with a hefty financial penalty by the confederation of african football (CAF)in the wake of violent scenes that marred their recent CAF Champions League semi-final clash against Tunisian giants Espérance.CAF’s Disciplinary Board has come down hard on four major clubs — Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Espérance, and MC Alger — following crowd trouble and misconduct in the competition’s knockout stage Millions of dollars are now being demanded from the clubs in what CAF describes as a “firm stance against indiscipline and unsafe match environments.”
Sundowns,who had just secured a 1-0 aggregate win over Esperance to book a place in the CAF champions league semi-finals now face a USD 100,000 (approx. KSh 13.2 million) fine after being found guilty of multiple breaches of safety and security protocols during the clash held on April 1.
Espérance were hit even harder as the tunisian club was fined USD 150,000(approx.KSH 19.8 million )after its fans were implicated in the post-match unrest that broke out inside the stadium.
The incidents, which included clashes between rival supporters, cast a shadow over what was meant to be a moment of sporting celebration.
CAF has not revealed what sparked the violence, but it made it clear that clubs must take full responsibility for ensuring matchday safety and proper conduct by both supporters and officials.
“CAF charged Mamelodi Sundowns for violations arising from their Champions League fixture against Espérance on April 1. The club must strictly implement the safety and security measures outlined in CAF regulations,” the governing body said in a statement as perAi jazeera
Back in South Africa, Orlando Pirates also felt the sting of CAF’s disciplinary whip after their goalless second-leg quarter-final clash against Algeria’s MC Alger on April 9.
The Buccaneers, who advanced on aggregate, were fined a total of USD 70,000 (approx. KSh 9.2 million). Of that, USD 50,000 (approx. KSh 6.6 million) was for team misconduct, while USD 20,000 (approx. KSh 2.6 million) was for poor stadium security.
CAF also sanctioned Pirates players Sipho Chaine and Nkosinathi Sibisi with one-match bans, both suspended for 12 months. Meanwhile, club official Ezekiel Matebula was handed a four-match suspension, with two of those matches suspended for a year.
“Orlando Pirates were charged with misconduct and failure to organise adequate security. Match official Ezekiel Matebula and players Chaine and Sibisi were found guilty of improper conduct,” read CAF’s verdict.
MC Alger were not spared either. Assistant coach Mohamed Khezrouni was banned for four matches and fined USD 15,000 (approx. KSh 2 million), while midfielder Abdelkader Oussama Menezla received a two-match suspension, with one match suspended.
The Algerian club as a whole was fined USD 100,000 (approx. KSh 13.2 million) for the behaviour of its technical staff and players.
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