GENEVA (AP) – A political soccer dispute between Algeria and Morocco over a disputed Western Sahara territory map on team jerseys is set for a full appeal hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The court said Thursday that both sides were “currently exchanging written submissions” and had not set a timeline for appointing a judge or setting a date for the hearing.
The Algerian Football Federation and Algiers' USM Algiers club are contesting the African Football Confederation's decision to allow Moroccan club RS Belkan to wear a team jersey that includes the disputed area on Morocco's map.
The controversy has already affected the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, where USM Algiers are the defending champions. Both semi-final matches scheduled for April 21 and 28 did not take place, and both were awarded by CAF as 3-0 wins for Belkan.
Belkan is scheduled to play in the two-game final against Egypt's Zamalek on May 12 and 19, but the court did not indicate on Thursday whether the Algerian side's appeal would be decided before those games.
Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony that was annexed by Morocco in 1975. The United Nations brokered a ceasefire between Morocco and the Algerian-backed pro-independence Polisario Front that lasted until four years ago.
Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021.
Soccer law stipulates that “equipment may not include slogans, statements, or images that are political, religious, or personal.''
Berkan arrived for a match in Algiers on April 21, but his team uniform was confiscated by Algerian authorities at the airport.
The match did not continue as CAF rejected Algeria's request to ban the shirt and Barkan refused to wear an alternative shirt provided by USM Algiers. CAF ruled that the Algerian club had breached the competition rules and Belkan were awarded a 3-0 win by default.
An emergency appeal by Algeria seeking a suspension of CAF's ruling on the uniform was rejected by the Swiss Court of Sport in Lausanne last week.
On April 28, USM Algiers headed to Belkan's stadium for the second leg, but the organizers refused to play if they were wearing a jersey with a map on it. CAF awarded Belkan a second bye.
A full appeal of the case is currently being filed against CAF, the Moroccan Football Federation and Belkan. One of the most influential officials in African football, FIFA council member Fawzi Lekujar is president of the Moroccan federation and former president of the Belkan club.
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