The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed a fine of $100,000 on Mamelodi Sundowns after incidents of fan violence during an African Champions League match.
Sundowns, which is owned by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, violated safety protocols while hosting a match against Tunisia’s Esperance on April 1, according to CAF’s disciplinary decision made on Thursday.
CAF stated that Sundowns must rigorously enforce the safety and security protocols outlined in the CAF regulations, guidelines, and directives, especially in their forthcoming matches.
Esperance was also fined $150,000 due to fan misbehaviour, as reported by CAF, which was associated with conflicts in the stands during the first leg of the quarter-final match.
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Sundowns secured a narrow 1-0 victory in the initial match held in Pretoria and progressed to the semi-finals after the subsequent match in Tunis concluded with no goals.
This Saturday, the South African squad will face Egypt’s Al Ahly, another participant in the Club World Cup, in the first semifinal leg.
Both Sundowns and Esperance are set to travel to the United States in June as representatives from Africa in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, organized by FIFA.
Their qualification stems from consistently impressive performances in the CAF Champions League over the past four years, extending to 2024.