Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC have criticised the Confederation of African Football over what they describe as a chaotic handling of their appeal hearing ahead of a decisive continental fixture.
The club confirmed that the Appeals Committee hearing was initially scheduled for 11am before being moved to 1pm. However, Al Ahly later received notice that the meeting had been postponed indefinitely.
Al Ahly believe the sequence of delays is a deliberate attempt to ensure they play their upcoming match without supporters. The Egyptian side trail Espérance Sportive de Tunis 1-0 following the first leg in Rades and view the return leg in Cairo as pivotal.
The club insist that having fans in the stadium will be crucial to their chances and have pushed for at least a partial reopening of the stands. They argue that playing behind closed doors would significantly affect their performance in such a high-stakes encounter.
In a formal protest submitted to CAF, Al Ahly described the supporter ban as disproportionate, stressing that it represents the first offence by their fans in the competition. The club also pointed to a previous case involving Espérance supporters where only a section of the stadium was closed rather than imposing a full ban.
Al Ahly have demanded that the appeal be heard immediately, stating their readiness to proceed at short notice. They warned that failure to resolve the matter before the match could lead to legal action.
With the return leg set to take place in Cairo on Saturday, the club now find themselves in a race against time to secure a favourable ruling.
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