CAF has fined its president’s club $100,000 following violent clashes between fans during an African Champions League match between two teams that will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Mamelodi Sundowns , owned by South African mining billionaire and FIFA vice-president Patrice Motsepe , breached security rules by hosting an April 1 match against Esperance of Tunisia , the Confederation of African Football said in a disciplinary decision issued Thursday.
Motsepe has been CAF president for four years and was re-elected unopposed last month.
The African football body said Mamelodi Sundowns “is required to strictly implement the safety and security measures specified in CAF regulations, guidelines and directives, particularly during its upcoming matches . “
Esperance have been fined $150,000 for fan misconduct , according to CAF, linked to clashes in the stands during the first leg of the quarter-finals.
Sundowns won the first leg 1-0 in Pretoria and advanced to the semi-finals after the return leg ended 0-0 in Tunis a week later. The South African team hosts fellow Club World Cup side Al Ahly of Egypt on Saturday in the first leg of the semi-finals.
Both Sundowns and Esperance will travel to the United States in June as two of four African teams competing in FIFA’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup. Both teams qualified based on their strong performances over four years in the CAF Champions League through 2024.
Sundowns have been drawn into a Club World Cup group with Ulsan (South Korea), Borussia Dortmund (Germany) and Fluminense (Brazil), and will play in Orlando, Cincinnati and Miami.
Esperance is in a group with Chelsea (England), Flamengo (Brazil), and a third team, which was supposed to be León, but which FIFA disqualified because it is owned by the same owner as another Mexican team that qualified, Pachuca. These matches will be played in Philadelphia and Nashville.
Leon has a hearing on May 5 before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Madrid to appeal FIFA’s decision. The Club World Cup is taking place in 11 American cities from June 14 to July 13.
Source: Africanews
