Enugu Rangers will take no further part in the Confederation Cup as they have been disqualified by the Confederation of African Football for fielding an ineligible player, Emmanuel Daniel in the game against CS Sfaxien.
Daniel joined the Enugu side from Shooting Stars and the Ibadan club complained that the goalkeeper was not properly cleared for this season.
Rangers argued that they got the permission to use the player after the Nigeria Football Federation gave them the go ahead.
CAF on its website stated that CS Sfaxien will now replace Rangers for the group stage which starts July 21.
“Further to the regulatory protest of the Tunisian Club Sportif Sfaxian (C.S.S.), the CAF Organising Committee for the Interclub Competitions has confirmed that player Daniel Emmanuel was not eligible to participate with Club Enugu Rangers in match number 90, played on June 2nd 2013, against the C.S.S., since the player had not been registered in a regulatory manner, in accordance with Article 25 of the Regulations governing the competition.
“Player Daniel Emmanuel had been given the authorisation to play with Enugu Rangers starting from April 2013. Accordingly, the player was ineligible to play with his team prior to the 2nd phase of registration, as stipulated by the Regulations of the competition (August 10th 2013).
“Therefore and in accordance with Article 28 of the Regulations governing the competition, the CAF Organising Committee for the Interclub Competitions confirms the elimination of the Nigerian Club Enugu Rangers from the 10th Edition of the Confederation Cup 2013, for having used an ineligible player in the aforementioned competition.
“Accordingly, Club Sportif Sfaxian (C.S.S.), which had been eliminated by the Enugu Rangers in the 2nd 1/8th finals of the Orange CC 2013, is called upon to replace them in the group matches of the said competition,” the statement reads.
This leaves no Nigerian club in the continental competition circuit for 2013.