For the second straight weekend, the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final clash between USM Alger and RS Berkane did not take place after the reigning champions refused to take to the pitch for their latest encounter.
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Last week, CAF awarded the Moroccan side a 3-0 victory over their north African counterparts despite neither side taking to the field for their first leg clash at the Stade du 5 Juillet.
The verdict was made as a consequence of Berkane refusing to play the match without their official kits, which had been confiscated by Algerian authorities upon the team's arrival in the country.
The kit in question displays the outline of the nation of Morocco, which includes the territory of Western Sahara. Morocco controls a large part of this region, but the other part is ruled by the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, who have been fighting Morocco to gain full autonomy for close to five decades now.
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CAF had approved the Botola Pro side's kits prior to the season's commencement, and maintained the legitimacy of the jerseys when they rejected the Algerian Football Federation's request to not have them used for the first leg.
This past weekend, the reigning tournament champions took the same stance their opponents did the week before when they did not take to the Berkane Municipal Stadium to warm up or play the match, abandoning the game.
This was presumably due to the Orange Boys' insistence on playing with the controversial kits.
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When CAF awarded Berkane the 3-0 victory for the first leg, its statement claimed there could be further sanctions, and now it remains to be seen what action African football’s governing body will take on this latest abandonment.
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