FAN VIOLENCE Espérance de Tunis supporters clash with Mamelodi Sundowns supporters during the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-final at the Loftus Versfeld stadium. Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
Image: Itumeleng English, Independent Newspapers
The Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) convened on Thursday but has remained tight-lipped about the outcomes and discussions from the meeting following the crowd violence that swept through Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane where Mamelodi Sundowns hosted Tunisian heavyweights Esperance Sportive.
These Disciplinary Committee meetings often entail significant decisions affecting teams, players, and the overarching governance of football on the continent. However, the silence surrounding the committee's decisions has left the African football community speculating about potential outcomes.
News coming out of Tunisia is that the government have planned to prevent the outbreak of crowd violence at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Radès, Tunisia. That is where the highly anticipated second leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-final between and South African champions Sundowns on Tuesday.
Sundowns have a small band of travelling supporters and that will keep the spotlight on the home crowd. This situation leaves the potential for crowd-related disturbances significantly reduced.
However, the only possible crowd problems will be caused by the home crowd if they are not happy with the outcome of the match.
CAF will likely make announcements before the next round of matches on Wednesday.
The ramifications of the raucous crowd misbehaviour are severe and threaten to tarnish the reputation of the blue-ribband Champions League tournament, which has long been a proud showcase for top teams from across Africa.
With safety concerns more important than ever, those involved in the sport are understandably anxious about how these events might affect future matches and fan engagement.
Against this background, CAF must take decisive action while the integrity of African football hangs in the balance.
When CAF views Esperance Sportive's disciplinary track record they will see they have been serial offenders. The team has seen itself embroiled in disciplinary controversies on multiple occasions.
The club's track record compels CAF to contemplate a variety of sanctions. Options on the table include potential disqualification from the competition, imposed suspensions, or holding matches behind closed doors. Furthermore, a substantial fine could be on the horizon, coupled with the possibility of a suspended sentence to deter future infractions.
The need for decisive actions and comprehensive strategies to stabilise the situation is more pressing than ever.
Meanwhile, the Algerian football club MC Alger has reportedly submitted a complaint to CAF after they claimed Orlando Pirates performed a muti ritual at the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers last Tuesday.
The matter came to light after visuals circulated online, allegedly depicting Pirates personnel pouring an unidentified substance in a goalmouth and other areas on the field during pre-match pitch inspection.
While the contents of the substance remain a matter of speculation, there are question marks about the validity of the visuals.
The eventual 1-0 win for Pirates does not reflect the dominance of the Algerians who enjoyed a massive 69% possession advantage, and one shot on target which produced their goal.