Paris (AFP)

Esperance Tunis won the African Champions League to the detriment of Wydad Casablanca by decision of CAF on Wednesday, which put an end to this controversial match that poisoned his image for two months, against a backdrop of legal battle.

The African Confederation, which the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has put before his responsibilities, declared "the loser of the final return by default" the Moroccan club, giving implicitly the trophy to the Tunisian formation.

"It is only fair justice.It is a title well deserved.It lasted two months but finally, we got it," reacted to AFP the general secretary of the club Farouk Kattou.

The Moroccans were punished for leaving the field in the return final on May 31 in Rades, as a protest against a breakdown of video refereeing assistance (VAR), which could have validated a goal denied them by the referee.

They were also fined $ 20,000 (17,850 euros) for this package and $ 15,000 (13,387 euros) for the use of smoke by their supporters.

Although the CAF Disciplinary Panel explicitly sanctions Wydad Casablanca, it does not stipulate in its judgment that Esperance Tunis is the winner of the title.

The EST has even been sanctioned with $ 50,000 for smoke, two closed-door in-laws for the same reasons, and its president, Mohamed Meddeb, is personally punished with $ 20,000 for his unsportsmanlike behavior. against his counterpart at CAF.

- Thorn less -

However, the loss on the green carpet of the return match for Wydad necessarily leads to the final victory of Tunisians, as confirmed by AFP a CAF official.

On the evening of May 31, after the withdrawal of Wydad, Tunis had celebrated its title in front of its public. But four days later, after the Casablanca protests, the CAF executive committee decided that the match would be replayed on neutral ground, considering that "the conditions of play and security were not met".

But this unprecedented decision has thrown oil on fire, as the two clubs decided to go to the CAS to win the title without having to replay.

On 31 July, the Swiss-based court quashed CAF's decision on the grounds that it had not been taken by the ad hoc body of the case. The CAS has enjoined the authority of African football to rule via a disciplinary commission. What was finally done Tuesday, nearly two months after the controversial match.

For CAF, this denouement is a thorn in her foot, while she is learning to walk together with Fifa.

Last Thursday, the Senegalese Fatma Samoura, N.2 of Fifa, took office as Africa's General Delegate for a renewable six-month term, which will allow her to oversee the organization of a body shaken by polemics and scandals in recent months.

His appointment was seen by some as a trusteeship. The president of CAF Ahmad Ahmad defends him, the right to be helped. But with the end of this stormy procedure around its flagship club competition, the Confederation can go forward again.

She has already learned the lessons: she decided in late July that the next final of C1 will be played on a dry match.

© 2019 AFP