TP Mazembe and Lupopo challenge hefty sanctions

TP Mazembe and FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo have separately challenged the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s league governing body’s decision to punish them for the violence that occured during their match last Sunday.

Ligue de Nationale de Football (Linafoo} imposed a $15,000 fine on each of the Lubumbashi rivals with both clubs having points from the match forfeited.

Apart from Mazembe and Lupopo, who else was fined?

Furthermore, the Ravens goalkeeper Diouud Marc Phillips was fined USD 200 for playing a role in fanning the violence that occured at TP Mazembe.

#Ligue1 #DerbyLushois
Reprise retardée : de nouvelles échauffourées ont éclaté avant le sifflet. Certains supporters de FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo ont envahi l’aire de jeu pour des pratiques fétichistes, perturbant la reprise.
Le match reprendra dès que l’ordre sera rétabli, …

— TP Mazembe (@TPMazembe) March 8, 2026

However, in a statement, Mazembe are not taking matters lying down, saying they would contest the sanctions because there was sufficient evidence that Lupopo triggered the violence.

“TPM vigorously contests the decision rendered by Linafoot following the interruption of the derby against FC Saint Éloi Lupopo,” reads part of the statement.

“The club would like to recall that the official reports clearly establish that the stoppage of the match is the result of the actions of the visiting supporters, perpetrators of invasion of the playing area and acts of vandalism that seriously disrupted the course of the match.”

Linafoot also ordered Lupopo to pay for the cost of the damaged 557 seats at the stadium, windows of the Mazembe team bus and damaged emblem of the Katanga Football League official.

The league governing body also ordered the giants not to play the next three league games on their home venues, and warned that a repeat of the violence could lead to their expulsion from the top-flight league.

In a separate notice issued through secretary general Jean-Luc Kapend, Lupopo also challenged the sanctions while “calling on the authorities to do a more rigorous and honest analysis of the facts.”

Why TP Mazembe Stadium renovations won’t start now

Linafoot also announced that repairs and purchase of all damaged equipment such as seats at the stadium will only commence once Lupopo pays the fine.

During the chaos, seats uprooted from the terraces were placed on the pitch following the stone-throwing orgy which started during the half-time break with the titans deadlocked at 0-0. The game did not resume.