Cameroonian side Coton Sport Garoua have sent a 7-page petition to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) seeking to have Kumasi Asante Kotoko thrown out of the CAF Confederation Cup for irregularities with regard to midfielder Kwame Bonsu.
Kotoko beat Coton Sport 5-3 on aggregate to progress to the group stages of CAF’s second tier inter-club competition for the first time in 11 years.
But the Cameroonians, in a letter to CAF, said Kotoko used two different jersey numbers for the same player over the two legs.
According to the petition, midfielder Kwame Bonsu’s name was registered with jersey number 8 in the first leg while documents of the reversed fixture have the same player’s name affiliated to jersey number 3, which would be a violation of article 6.5 of the competition’s rules.
Kotoko meanwhile took to Twitter to post an image of the said player from the away fixture in which he can be spotted in the jersey number 3, suggesting that Coton Sport’s petition had no merit.
Look at @kwamebonsu21 (2nd from left) and tell us his jersey number.#AKSC #Kotoko4Africa pic.twitter.com/d6bHhIsKa7
— Asante Kotoko SC (@AsanteKotoko_SC) January 24, 2019
General Secretary of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) Benjamin Didier Banlock, who co-signed the petition said he was not expecting CAF to perform any “magic” with their decision on the petition.
“Coton Sport are complaining about a number of a jersey of a player and they want to bring it to the attention of CAF.
“As for me, it doesn’t change the fact that we saw the game and it ends there for me.
“Honestly, you know there are some part of your job you do without being happy to do but it’s your duty.
” It’s a very tricky one so let’s wait for CAF, they are the ones deciding but I’m not expecting any magic from CAF,” he told Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM.
Kotoko are in Group C of the CAF Confed Cup along with Sudanese side Al Hilal Omdurman and Zambian duo of Zesco United and Nkana FC.
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Fentuo Tahiru/Citinewsroom.com/Ghana