Esperance Punished For Fan Violence

Tunisia football giants Esperance de Tunis have been punished by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s disciplinary committee.

The African football governing body also fined Esperance $60,000 for violence perpetrated by spectators during the first leg of the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League semi-final match against Al Ahly on June 10.

In the match Tunisian fans disrupted the start of the game by throwing cans, stones and setting of fireworks in what caused a one hour delay.

Some of Esperance fans and Al Ahly players suffered suffocation as the police fired teargas at the stands of Hammadi Agrabi Olympic Stadium.

Esperance lost the match 1-0, before losing 3-0 in second leg clash that was played behind closed doors at the Al-Salaam Stadium in Cairo.

In addition to the fine, CAF ordered that Esperance must play two home continental club matches behind closed doors.

South African referee Victor Gomes was in-charge of the match and had famously officiated 2020 CAF Super Cup between Zamalek and Esperance.

This is the fourth time that Esperance have been in trouble with CAF over the same issue and they will be banned from continental club competitions for a year if they are found guilty again within the next year.