LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Algerian club JS Kabylie has won its appeal against a two-year ban from the African Champions League, imposed after a player died during fan violence at a domestic match.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday "annulled with immediate effect" the expulsion imposed by the Confederation of African Football, for flouting its own legal process last October. Though the urgent ruling was announced ahead of the 2015 African Champions League kicking off this weekend, it did not resolve whether Kabylie will play."Since JSK did not specifically request to be reinstated in the CAF Champions League, the CAS has not been able to make a decision on this point, a decision that would also be likely to affect other clubs," the court said in a statement.
Kabylie was banned after its player Albert Ebosse suffered fatal head injuries following a home loss in the domestic league last August. The 24-year-old forward from Cameroon was hit by a rock when leaving the pitch.
The African governing body broke its own rules in trying to impose the ban, the court ruled. "The (decision to ban) was taken without the representatives of the club JSK having been heard or even informed of the procedure in progress," the court said in a statement.
The court invited CAF to open a new case against the club "respecting the fundamental principles of procedure, including, notably, the right to be heard." Kabylie qualified on merit for the continental competition by finishing second in Algeria's league.
It was replaced by fourth-placed MC El Eulma, which is scheduled to host St. George of Ethiopia in a preliminary round, first-leg match.
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