Esperance de Tunis say they will not return the trophy and medals of the CAF Champions League to CAF as instructed and will take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
The Tunisians were ordered to return the CAF Champions League trophy and medals and replay the second leg of their final with Wydad Casablanca, following an Emergency CAF Executive Committee meeting in Paris.
The Tunisian side led 1-0 in Saturday’s second leg but Moroccan opponents Wydad Casablanca left the pitch after an equaliser they scored was disallowed.
Wydad wanted the video assistant referee to check if the goal should stand but the system was not working.
After more than 90 minutes delay, Esperance were declared Champions.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) said the second leg will be replayed at a neutral venue.
The 1-1 draw from the first leg in Morocco stands.
The replay will be after the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, which ends on 19 July.
A Caf statement said “conditions of game and safety were not met” in the second leg and made clear Esperance players must return their winners’ medals as well as the trophy.
But Esperance immediately responded in a tweet that they will treat the CAF Exco decisions with complete disregard.
The Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed also took to twitter to salute the Tunisian security forces and says “those who question Tunisia’s security should assume the responsibility.”
He has also praised Esperance fans for their discipline and says he will not give up Esperance’s or any Tunisian team’s rights.
