Orlando Pirates' CAF Champions League protest: St Eloi Lupopo insist they are ‘clean’ & Bucs ‘took wrong information'

Orlando Pirates performed exceptionally well in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, where they secured a 7-0 aggregate win over Lioli of Lesotho to advance.

They were then paired with the Democratic Republic of Congo outfit St Eloi Lupopo in the second preliminary round.

In the first leg, Bucs fell 3-0 but managed to match the scoreline in the second leg to make it 3-3 in aggregate, but fell in the penalty shootout to crash out.

Lupopo have since been pooled in Group C alongside the Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal of Sudan, and Algeria's MC Alger, which is coached by South African Rhulani Mokwena.

The Soweto giants wrote to CAF protesting the eligibility of coach Guy Bukasa, who they claimed was serving a suspension following his unsporting behaviour while with the U20 Democratic Republic of Congo team that competed in the U20 AFCON hosted by Egypt. 

They further argued that Henoc Molia and Wanet Kashala were not fully cleared to be included in the squad. CAF confirmed receipt of the protest letter.

“Well, I mean, the first thing I can do, first of all, is to confirm that, of course, we are aware of these complaints and protests and whatever have been received by CAF, and they are being processed through the competent structures, the judicial structures at CAF,” Luxolo September, who is CAF's Head of TV, opened up.
“There is one part which is being processed through the judicial processes, which we have to respect because they are fully independent. 

"Then there is the administrative status, which has to deal with the status quo as it is. And right now, we are dealing with the status quo as it is. If and when we will be guided by what the judicial bodies do.  
"When? I don't know. How? I don't know. What? I don't know. It's an independent process that is happening, and we respect it, and we create this wall between the administrative side and the judicial bodies that exist. 

"So we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it," he concluded. 

Lupopo CEO Jean-Luc Kapend has now responded to Pirates, clearing the air regarding the protest made by the Premier Soccer League outfit. 

“Orlando Pirates took the wrong information, [Ramos] Kashala was registered on 29 September, that was one day before the window closed,” he said as quoted by iDiski Times.

“The motivation of the complaint of Pirates, they announced the player on social media, on the day of registration.

“The second player, [Henoc] Molia. In Congo, we change passports, and the passport we used to register him is not old; it’s a valid passport," Kapend continued.

“With regards to Bukasa, it’s not a problem. There’s a problem of interpretation.

“On the 29.6 article, all the suspensions can concern the competition of the under-20 and all competitions of the national team.

“CAF sent us the list of all the officials and the players who were in suspension, and in this list, you don’t find the name of Guy Bukasa. The competition will continue, and for Lupopo, we are clean," he concluded. 

The Soweto giants feel they have a strong case against Lupopo, and that they still stand a chance of dining with the best in the CAF Champions League.

It explains why everyone associated with the club is anxious, eagerly awaiting the ruling by the Football Governing Body on the continent.

But before the ruling is made, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou should concentrate on his good form domestically. 

The Sea Robbers are currently in the Carling Knockout quarter-final, and are placed second on the Premier Soccer League with 22 points, just three behind Masandawana, who have played two more games.