CAF CL: Al Hilal sue RS Berkane over fielding ineligible player

Al Hilal Omdurman have officially filed a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), accusing RS Berkane of fielding an ineligible player during their CAF Champions League quarterfinals. In a statement issued on Monday, March 30, the Sudanese club claimed that Berkane used Moroccan defender Hamza El Moussaoui despite the player allegedly serving a 30-day suspension for failing a doping test. ALSO READ: CAF CL: Chouiar late winner hurts Al Hilal, sends Berkane into semis According to the statement, Moussaoui underwent an anti-doping test, which reportedly confirmed the presence of a stimulant substance listed among those banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Al Hilal further alleged that the player had been handed a 30-day suspension by CAF just two days before the match. However, the ban was lifted on match day—a decision the Sudanese club described as a “serious violation of the integrity and balance of the competition.” The same player had earlier won a penalty that led to Berkane’s late equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Tunisia during the first leg on March 15. Al Hilal maintain that Moussaoui was ineligible to play and say they have submitted full evidence to CAF to support their claim. The complaint follows a controversial 1-0 defeat for Al Hilal in the second leg in Kigali on March 22, where the Sudanese side also disputed several officiating decisions. These included the disallowing of a goal by Adama Coulibaly and the awarding of a penalty to the Moroccan side for a foul committed prior to a counterattack. Head coach Laurentiu Reghecampf expressed strong dissatisfaction with the refereeing, stating that a “clear goal” had been wrongly ruled out. CAF has launched an investigation to determine the validity of the eligibility complaint, with the outcome potentially impacting the results of the CAF Champions League knockout stage. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31.

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CAF CL: Al Hilal sue RS Berkane over fielding ineligible player