Hommam Al Nassim 
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Competitions Committee has decided that USM Alger partially lost 3-0 in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision came in a controversial move that exacerbates diplomatic tensions between Algeria and Morocco, following a crisis sparked by the Algerian authorities’ seizure of the shirts of Moroccan team Nahda Berkane.
The crisis arose when the Moroccan team refused to play the match at the 5 July stadium in Algiers due to the confiscation of its shirts by the Algerian authorities, as the shirts carried a map of Morocco integrated with the disputed Western Sahara.
As a result, the committee decided to punish USM Alger by losing the match 3-0, and to refer the case to the disciplinary committee to consider further sanctions.
In a swift reaction, the Algerian federation announced its intention to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for International Sport in Switzerland.
These developments come in the context of the escalating diplomatic crisis between the two countries since Algeria severed relations with Morocco in the summer of 2021, which is linked to accusations of Algeria carrying out “hostile acts” against Morocco, especially with regard to the conflict over Western Sahara.
Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is witnessing a long-running dispute between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, with Morocco controlling 80 percent of its territory, while the Polisario claims full sovereignty over it and is classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory.
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