CAF Champions League Hope for Orlando Pirates? CAF Official Responds to Case Against St Eloi Lupopo

Confederation of African Football (CAF) has provided an update into the appeal filed by Orlando Pirates over Congolese side St Eloi Lupopo, who eliminated them from the Champions League.

Pirates filed three cases against Lupopo, one against coach Guy Bukasa, as well as complaints over the fielding of two players, Henoc Molia and Ramos Khashala Wanet.

The Buccaneers’ complaint against Bukasa is that he was not supposed to be in the dugout during their encounter in the second preliminary round, having been suspended by CAF, following a brawl during an Under-20 AFCON match against South Africa.

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Meanwhile, Molia is alleged to have been registered outside the transfer window period while Wanet’s registration with Lupopo is being disputed as he allegedly holds two passports.

“The first thing I can do, first of all, is to confirm that we are aware of this,” CAF head of communications Luxolo September told South African state broadcaster SABC.

“These complaints…have been received by CAF. They are being processed through the competent and judicial structures at CAF. That is one part that is being processed through the judicial process. Which we have to respect, because they are all independent.”

Asked what should be expected from the matter now that the complaints have been received, September was non-committal.

“And then there is the administrative side, which has to deal with the status quo as it is, and right now, we are dealing with the status quo as it is. If and when we will be guided by what the judicial bodies do. When? I don’t know. How? I don’t know. What? I don’t know,” he added.

“It is an independent process that is happening. We respect and create this wall between the administrative side and the judicial bodies that exist. So, we will cross that bridge when we get to it.”

September was speaking in Johannesburg on Monday after the Champions League and Confederation Cup draw that saw Lupopo placed in a tough Group C alongside Mamelodi Sundowns, Algerian champions MC Alger and Sudan’s Al-Hilal.

Lupopo eliminated Pirates on post-match penalties after a 3-3 draw on aggregate, having won the first leg 3-0 at home, before losing an ill-tempered return match by the same score line in Johannesburg.

Should Pirates be successful, then they would replace the Congolese side in the group stages, joining Sundowns, MC Alger and Al Hilal in Group C.