CAS upholds Algerian appeal in football shirt map dispute

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday ruled in favour of the Algerian football federation in a row over a map of Morocco on shirts worn by Renaissance Berkane in the 2024 Caf Confederation Cup.

Algerian club USM Alger were kicked out of last year's competition after both legs of their semifinal against Berkane were cancelled because of a diplomatic dispute.

Neither match took place as USMA and the Algerian authorities objected to a map of Morocco on the Berkane shirts which included Western Sahara.

Algeria cut diplomatic ties with north African neighbours Morocco in 2021, partly over the Western Sahara issue.

The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco but claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks the territory's independence.

The Confederation of African Football awarded Berkane a 3-0 victory for both legs of the semifinal.

Caf at the time responded to an appeal by the Algerian FA by ruling in favour of Berkane, saying the club had been wearing the same jerseys since the start of the tournament.

NO EFFECT ON THE RESULTS

But the Algerian FA took the case to sport's highest court in Switzerland, which determined that the shirts in question were "contrary to Caf regulations, as they display a territorial map that is of a political nature."

"The image of a map of Morocco including Western Sahara on the shirts of RS Berkane depicts a message, a demonstration or propaganda of a political nature as it represents the assertion of a territorial dispute that is contested and still unresolved as of today," Cas said in a statement.

"In accordance with... the laws of the game of the International Football Association Board, it is prohibited to convey any content of a political nature on all equipment, including shirts."

Cas added that the initial decision by Caf to "maintain the approval of the shirts is annulled", but the court said that it would have no effect on the results of the tournament.

Egypt's Zamalek beat Berkane on away goals in the final.