The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has slapped MC Alger players Abdelnour Belkheir and Ahmed Boutagga with sanctions after they were found guilty of attacking a match referee in a recent continental match.
The duo have been suspended from taking part in all competitions organized by CAF, in particular interclub competitions as well as competitions with national teams, for a period of twelve months.
In addition to the sanctions, CAF has ordered MC Alger to pay USD 25,000 for the unseemly and regrettable conduct against the referee of the match in question.
The match in question was the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg between MC Alger and Wydad Casablanca held at Stade Mohamed V in Morocco.
After the Algerian side was held to a 1-1 draw in Alger, Wyad won the return leg 1-0, with the winning goal coming in injury time, to sail to the semi-finals on a 2-1 aggregate score.
The high-stakes clash in the Moroccan capital turned rowdy after Walid El-Karti scored the all important goal with MC Alger players confronting Botswana referee Josh Bondo, pushing and shoving him with the bone of contention being “allowing Wydad to over celebrate the winning goal.”
The decision was hotly disputed by Alger, whose players pushed the referee around before he issued straight red cards to goalkeeper Ahmed Bouttaga and Abdenour Belkheir.
MC Alger are required to pay the fine in dollars within sixty (60) days of notification of the Wednesday decision to CAF accounts.
Meanwhile, the CAF Disciplinary Committee has suspended ASC Jaraaf official Youssou Dial for a period of two years from all football activities and two players for six matches.
Mamadou Sylla and Albert Diene were sanctioned for attacking a match official in a CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal fixture between Senegalese club, ASC Jaraaf and Coton Sport of Cameroon on 23 May 2021.
The trio charged towards the match officials and physically and verbally assaulted them on the field with the referee seriously wounded with head injuries.
