Young Africans have made an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football following their controversial Champions League quarter-final exit.
The Tanzanian giants lost 3-2 on penalties after drawing both their first and second leg ties with DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
It had, however, appeared that Yanga took a second-half lead when Brazilians goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was beaten by a rocket of a shot from Stephane Aziz Ki, with replays suggesting the ball had crossed the line after crashing down off the crossbar.
The goal was initially not given by the referee, who did not look at a video of the replay before the Video Assistant Referee adjudged there to no obvious error, and the decision not to award a goal remained.
A Yanga statement read: ‘We, the undersigned, representing Young Africans Sports Club hereby submit this contest in accordance with Rule XVI of the CAF Champions League Regulations as amended from time to time.
‘The contest pertains to a possible administrative error and match-fixing incident during the quarter-final match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Young Africans Sports Club played on the 5th April 2024 at Tshwane-Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa.
‘YANGA’S REASONS FOR COMPLAINT
‘1. Incident Description
‘During the match, in the 57th minute, Young Africans Sports Club Player Aziz Ki Stephane [jersey no. 10] scored a clear goal which was denied by the entire team of referees led by Mr. Dahane Beida from Mauritania. Despite the availability of Video Assistant Referee [VAR] technology, Mr. Beida and his team, including Mr. Daniel Ayi [Video Assistant Referee from Ghana] and Mr. Jerson Dos Santos [Assistant VAR from Angola], intentionally neglected to review the goal incident through VAR, thereby disregarding the principles of fair play and justice in football.
‘2. Allegations
‘We allege that the aforementioned actions by the referee team indicate a deliberate match-fixing. This is further supported by the selective use of VAR, primarily focusing on fouls committed by Young Africans Sports Club for potential red cards, while ignoring a legitimate goal-scoring opportunity.
‘3. Concerns Raised
‘It is concerning that despite substantial investments in VAR technology, its role in ensuring fairness and accuracy in critical match decisions was not upheld. This incident raises questions about the integrity of refereeing standards and the effectiveness of VAR in upholding fair play principles in football competitions.
‘4. Request for investigation
‘We request an investigation into this matter by the CAF to undercover any evidence of administrative error or match-fixing. Such actions are detrimental to the spirit of the game and must be addressed promptly to maintain the credibility of football competitions under CAF.
‘5. Remedial Actions Sought
‘In light of the above, we urge CAF to take appropriate remedial actions. This may include but are not limited to Conducting a detailed review of the match footage and VAR records, Holding accountable any individuals found responsible for misconduct or negligence, Implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in future matches, as well as any other relief you may consider fair and appropriate to grant under Rule XVI [3] of CAF Champions League Regulations, as amended from time to time.
‘We remain committed to upholding the principles of fair play, transparency, and integrity in football, and trust that CAF will take decisive steps to address this matter and uphold the values of the sport.’
