CAF Faces Fresh Legal Storm as Sudan’s Al-Hilal Threatens CAS Action
Already entangled in the fallout from the controversial 2025 AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) now faces the prospect of another high-profile case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The quarter-final of the African Champions League between RS Berkane and Al-Hilal Omdurman (1-1, 1-0) has spilled beyond the pitch. Al-Hilal have lodged an official complaint over the participation of Berkane full-back Hamza El Moussaoui, who was reportedly serving a doping suspension.
According to reports, El Moussaoui tested positive for a glucocorticoid (prednisone/prednisolone), leading to a 30-day ban notified by CAF just two days before the match. However, the suspension was lifted on the day of the game under circumstances that remain unclear.
Al-Hilal claim they repeatedly contacted CAF without receiving a satisfactory response, citing unanswered letters and an ultimatum that expired on Friday evening. The club is demanding heavy sanctions against Berkane, including possible exclusion from African competitions and annulment of the match result.
If proven, Berkane could face a defeat by default, which would dramatically alter the competition bracket ahead of their scheduled semi-final against AS FAR Rabat.
Frustrated by CAF’s silence, Al-Hilal are now threatening to escalate the matter to CAS, insisting they have more than a dozen supporting documents. Should this case proceed, CAF would find itself defending two major disputes simultaneously before the international sports court, an unprecedented situation.
