OPINION: CAF must respond swiftly and firmly to shameful scenes

The time for talking and issuing statements has long passed. It is now time for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to act, because the past two weeks have been a terrible advert for football on the continent.

CAF must act

Diplomacy has also run its course, and CAF must call a spade a spade. Officials of the Algerian club MC Alger should hang their heads in shame. Their actions demand accountability, both from the football authorities and, where applicable, the legal system.

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Alger officials and players had no right to swarm and attempt to attack referee Ibrahim Traoré and his assistants, Adou N’goh and Jonathan Koffi after the final whistle. South Africa is not a lawless state. No individual or team should be allowed to act with such impunity and blatant disregard for the rule of law.

It was deeply disturbing to witness the violent conduct in Soweto. No one is entitled to win a football match. There was a Pirates official who was trying to break up the skirmish. Then, out of nowhere, he was struck on the back of the head by an MC Alger official.

Where is the spirit of fair play?

The blow knocked him to the ground. And that’s when Pirates players also lost their cool and chased the aggressor around. At that point, Orlando Stadium resembled a scene from WWE’s Royal Rumble. As it unfolded, I found myself asking: where is the spirit of fair play?

Another question came to mind was whether I have ever seen anything like this before? Sadly, the answer is yes. Algeria has a history of similar incidents that have cast a shadow over African football. That context may explain why the MC Alger staff felt so emboldened to act so brazenly in front of a packed Soweto crowd.

A history of violence

In 2016, ES Sétif were disqualified from the CAF Champions League. This was following crowd violence during a group stage match against Mamelodi Sundowns, where they were trailing 2–0. 

Two years earlier, CAF had ruled that Sétif host TP Mazembe behind closed doors after incidents of unsporting behaviour. In the same year, Former JS Kabylie and Cameroonian striker Albert Ebosse sustained a reported fatal head injury from objects being thrown by fans in a league match against USM Alger.

Returning to the chaos at Orlando Stadium, after the Buccaneers eliminated MC Alger to progress to the semifinals, even journalists were attacked by Algerian officials, leading to yet another scuffle in the stadium’s corridors.

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CAF must respond swiftly and firmly. A strong message must be sent to all remaining teams that violence and disorder will not be tolerated under any circumstances.