Al Hilal Omdurman have been reinstated as Sudan Elite League champions after the Sudanese Football Association’s Appeals Committee overturned an earlier ruling that had awarded the title to their arch-rivals, Al Merrikh. The committee had initially ruled in favour of Al Merrikh, awarding them the points from the league derby between the two clubs at Khartoum Stadium. However, following a review request submitted by Al Hilal in October, the committee reversed its decision on Tuesday, November 10. After examining the appeal and supporting documents, the committee ruled that the derby result should stand as recorded in the referee’s report, thereby confirming Al Hilal’s 1-0 victory. The committee accepted Al Hilal’s request for a review on both procedural and substantive grounds, leading to the cancellation of the earlier decision that had awarded the disputed points to Al Merrikh. The review was conducted during two meetings held on November 9 and 10 under the chairmanship of Mohamed Hamad Al Bashir. Other members included Mohamed Issa, Zuhair Abdelmalik and Al Zain Al Dukhairi, who also served as rapporteur. The latest ruling restores the Sudan Elite League title to Al Hilal and overturns the decision that had handed the derby points to Al Merrikh. The triumph caps a remarkable season for Al Hilal, who have completed a league double after winning both the Sudan Elite League and Rwanda’s BK Pro League, underlining their dominance across the two competitions. However, Al Merrikh have expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and are reportedly considering taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
