Several members of the Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) executive committee are demanding the appointment of Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo to referee the first leg of the Caf Champions League final be overturned. Ndala was the referee at January’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final when Senegal walked off against Morocco, leading to a legal dispute over who won the tournament that will be decided by the court of arbitration for sport.
Ndala, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been selected for the game between South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and AS Far of Morocco in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria) on 17 May.
One member of the Caf executive committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ndala’s handling of the final and the fact that his conduct formed part of the dispute being dealt with by Cas meant his selection was inappropriate. “We have had a discussion among ourselves and many of us have made it very clear that the appointment of Ndala is not acceptable and that we want a change of referee,” he said.
The committee member said he and some colleagues felt Ndala “should be facing very serious disciplinary measures for his conduct of the final” and added: “This is a very big shame for African football. This appointment is only going to make African football even more of a laughing stock.”
At least five members of the executive committee vigorously oppose the appointment.
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At the Afcon final, Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, and some of his players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest at Morocco being awarded a penalty after a video assistant referee review. A few minutes earlier, a Senegal player had been penalised by Ndala for a push before he headed against a post, meaning that when Ismaïla Sarr headed in the rebound the goal was disallowed.
Morocco lost 1-0 in extra time, but were awarded a 3-0 win by Caf in March, prompting Senegal’s appeal to Cas.
A top-ranking Caf administrative official described Ndala’s appointment for the Champions League final as a “PR own goal” for the organisation, but claimed Caf regulations, protecting the independence of the referees’ committee, forbade their political authorities from interfering in the appointment of match officials.
The decision by Olivier Safari Kabene, the chair of Caf’s referees’ committee, to serve as one of the referee assessors for the Champions League final has also attracted the ire of several executive committee members, who say it involves a conflict of interest.
