Esperance Sportive de Tunis have ramped up their stance against the "Libya Al-Riyadiya" channel, demanding an official and public apology over statements they consider damaging to the club's reputation and history. The Tunisian side also hinted at banning the channel from broadcasting the return leg against Libya's Al-Sweihli, while weighing legal and regulatory measures to defend their rights.
The row erupted after Esperance lost 1-0 to hosts Al-Sweihli at the Misrata Stadium in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. Remarks by commentator Saad Al-Bardah and several analysts during the match's analytical studio angered the club's management and supporters.
According to Esperance's statement on Tuesday evening, the comments accused the club of pressuring referees and influencing results. The commentator also suggested Esperance might hand Al-Sweihli an "under the table" favour in the return leg, sparking a wave of anger among the Tunisian team's supporters.
The club said in its statement: "Esperance Sportive de Tunis followed with great regret and astonishment what was issued by the commentator of the 'Libya Al-Riyadiya' channel and a number of its journalists during the match that brought our team against the Libyan club Al-Sweihli and afterwards, in terms of offensive statements and claims that included accusing the club of exerting pressure on referees and influencing the course of matches."
It added: "The management of Esperance Sportive, while expressing its categorical rejection of these baseless accusations which have no supporting evidence or proof, affirms that what they contained affects the club's reputation, its long history and its standing at both the national and continental levels, and contradicts the simplest rules of professionalism, media integrity and the ethics of sports broadcasting."
Esperance stressed that their results and achievements came as the fruit of the efforts of their players, technical staff and management, backed by the support of their supporters. A history rich with titles, the club said, reflects its respect for fair competition and the laws governing football.
Turning to their demands, the club called on the Libyan channel's management to issue an official clarification and a public apology for what its staff said, warning of escalatory measures should those demands go unmet.
The statement affirmed: "We reserve our right to take all necessary legal and regulatory measures, including corresponding with the competent media and sporting bodies to defend the club's reputation and image, and we are studying the possibility of not allowing the channel concerned to broadcast the return match, should it fail to respond to the above."