The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has filed an appeal with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to overturn the decision to annul Edo Queens' victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU-B final. The match, which took place on September 5 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, ended 2-2 after regulation time, with Edo Queens winning 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out. However, CAF ruled on Sunday that the match should have proceeded to extra time before penalties, in accordance with Article 72.4 of the competition regulations.
The NFF argued that Edo Queens should not be punished for an error committed by the match officials, as the players neither requested nor caused the decision to proceed directly to penalties. According to the federation, Edo Queens merely obeyed the referee's instruction and participated in the shoot-out in good faith. The NFF also noted that there was no finding of misconduct, manipulation, or bad faith against the Nigerian champions.
The NFF further argued that there is a fundamental difference between benefiting from an official's error and causing or procuring the error. The federation emphasized that the fact that Edo Queens ultimately won the shoot-out cannot retrospectively convert its compliance with the referee's instruction into responsibility for the regulatory breach. The NFF questioned CAF's authority to annul the completed shoot-out and order the match to resume from extra time, as neither of the participating teams was responsible for the irregularity.
The NFF also contended that any remedy imposed by CAF must have a clear regulatory basis and be proportionate to the established irregularity. The federation urged the CAF Appeals Committee to overturn the ruling and uphold Edo Queens' 4-1 penalty-shoot-out victory. The NFF insisted that the sporting outcome of the match should not be taken away from a team that complied with the match officials' instructions.
CAF's decision to annul the match and order it to resume from extra time was made following a protest by Ampem Darkoa Ladies. The Ghanaian champions had disputed the outcome of the match, citing the error in the application of the competition regulations. The NFF's appeal challenges CAF's decision, arguing that it is unfair to punish Edo Queens for an error that was not their fault.
The outcome of the appeal will determine the fate of Edo Queens in the CAF Women's Champions League. If the appeal is successful, Edo Queens will retain their WAFU-B championship title and qualify for the Champions League. However, if the appeal is unsuccessful, the match will be replayed from extra time, potentially altering the outcome of the competition.
The NFF's appeal is a significant development in the WAFU-B final controversy. The federation's argument that Edo Queens should not be punished for the referee's error has garnered support from many in the Nigerian football community. The CAF Appeals Committee will review the appeal and make a decision in due course.
Key points
- The Nigeria Football Federation has appealed CAF's decision to annul Edo Queens' victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU-B final.
- The NFF argues that Edo Queens should not be punished for an error committed by the match officials.
- The outcome of the appeal will determine the fate of Edo Queens in the CAF Women's Champions League.
