CAF confirm probe into Orlando Pirates’ Lupopo eligibility complaint

Orlando Pirates’ dreams of reaching the CAF Champions League group stage are being kept alive by a formal protest lodged with the continental governing body, CAF, following their dramatic elimination by FC St Eloi Lupopo.

Despite losing a gruelling penalty shootout (5-4) after levelling the aggregate score at 3-3, the Buccaneers are determined to overturn the result, focusing their complaint on alleged eligibility breaches by the Congolese club.

The Three-Pronged Complaint By Orlando Pirates

Pirates filed a multi-faceted complaint targeting several aspects of Lupopo’s operation during the second preliminary round tie. The core of the protest centres on the status of Lupopo’s head coach and the eligibility of two players.

The Coach’s Suspension: The primary focus is on Lupopo’s coach, Guy Bukasa, who guided the Cheminots past the Soweto giants. Pirates claim Bukasa should not have been allowed to sit on the bench because he was reportedly serving a six-match ban stemming from a disciplinary offence during the Under-20 AFCON in Egypt, where he was coaching the Congolese youth national team. The Buccaneers argue that this CAF suspension should have rendered him ineligible to manage the senior team fixture.

Late Player Registration: Pirates also claim that player Henoc Molia was registered after the official transfer window had closed, constituting a violation of CAF’s registration regulations.

Passport Irregularity: The club raised further concerns regarding the eligibility of player Wanet Kashala, alleging he holds two different passports.

CAF Administration Confirms Investigation

In response to the high-profile nature of the complaint, Luxolo September, CAF’s Head of TV and Communications, confirmed that the matter is now in the hands of the appropriate authority.

September stressed that the CAF administration has received the complaint and has passed it on to the independent judicial body, the disciplinary board.

He was speaking after the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup draw at the SuperSport TV studios in Johannesburg on Monday.

“There’s an independent judicial body, the disciplinary board. I believe that they are looking into a lot of these matters. It’s important that we give space to them to look at the merits of all these complaints,” September stated.

He was resolute that the administrative wing would not interfere with the independent process or pre-empt the outcome, adding that he was “not at liberty to talk about it” or provide specific timelines for a verdict.

“The only thing I can confirm to you is that all these matters are before the care of judicial bodies. They are obviously being processed through the system at the moment. And as the administration, we are waiting for the outcome of the judicial bodies,” he concluded.

The disciplinary board now faces the task of determining the merits of Pirates’ claims. Should the protest be upheld on any of the eligibility grounds, particularly concerning the coach or a key player, the consequences could result in Lupopo’s disqualification, potentially reinstating Orlando Pirates into the prestigious continental tournament.