Kinshasa, June 19th, 2025 (CPA). – The Congolese Football Association (Fecofa) has inflicted a double forfeit on Ajeki and Maniema Union, from Kindu, Maniema, in the centre-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for failing to appear for their second-round match in the eastern zone of the Congo Cup, CPA has learned on Thursday from an administrative source. ‘The organising committee of the 59th Congo Cup football tournament (has decided) to inflict a forfeit on the teams, AS Ajeki and AS Maniema Union,’ it is read.
According to the source, in addition to the forfeits inflicted on these two clubs, both have also been fined US$500, payable upon receipt of the Fecofa decision. However, in this decision dated June 18th, jointly signed by Sabin Mashini and Pierrot Mosengo, respectively president and secretary of the competition’s organising committee, the reasons for this double forfeit have been given. According to Fecofa’s correspondence, AS Ajeki was scheduled to host Maniema Union in Kindu on June 18th, 2025 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Kabila Stadium for the second round of the Eastern Zone. Curiously, it is stated that both teams have been noticeably absent from the playing field at the appointed time. In fact, Ajeki and Maniema Union, having received no order to postpone this match at the request of either opponent, have agreed among themselves, without Fecofa changing the original date. For the technical body of football in DRC, Ajeki and Maniema Union have fallen victim to the ‘absence or late arrival of a club at the sports facilities’. As much as the organising committee has sanctioned these two teams, it has also done so for the officials of this match who did not show up on the playing field without a plausible reason. According to Fecofa’s decision, for the officials concerned, this includes the match commissioner, the central referee and the designated officials, namely the other referees (Assistants 1 and 2 as well as the reserve referee), all of whom have been suspended for three months for failing to respond to their appointments.
As such, they have each been fined 30 US dollars. ACP/