Moroccan football club AS FAR has formally expressed its apprehensions regarding the selection of referee Jean-Jacques Ndala for the upcoming CAF Champions League Final.
The highly anticipated match is set to take place on May 17 in Pretoria, where AS FAR will face off against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The club yesterday, requested an immediate reassignment of Ndala, stating they prefer not to have him officiate this critical match, as reported by African football journalist Micky Jnr.
The request comes in light of ongoing controversies surrounding officiating decisions within the tournament.
The situation escalated after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew Egyptian referee, Amin Mohamed Omar, from the match, following concerns raised by Mamelodi Sundowns regarding his alleged regional affiliations with AS FAR.
AS FAR highlighted instances where Senegalese players reportedly exited the field on their coach’s orders without receiving any disciplinary actions, calling into question the consistency and fairness of officiating at this level.
Additionally, the club pointed out that Ndala was not included in FIFA’s roster of referees selected for the forthcoming World Cup, further intensifying their concerns.
Despite these issues, CAF has maintained that Ndala’s appointment is backed by the organization, even amid scrutiny over his previous officiating performances.
With both clubs having raised objections to different referees, CAF now faces a pivotal decision, to either replace Ndala once again or allow him to officiate this crucial encounter.
