CAS decides in favour of New Stars FC de Douala
Cameroon football club, New Stars FC de Douala (“New Stars”) has successfully defended itself in an appeal filed by the Cameroon national football federation, the Fédération Camerounaise de Football (“FECAFOOT”), at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”).
Following the 2018/19 football season in Cameroon, New Stars was relegated to League 2. After internal appeals by New Stars against its relegation, on 21 October 2019, the Chambre de Conciliation et d'Arbitrage (“CCA”) of the Comité National Olympique et Sportif du Cameroun decided that New Stars should remain in League 1 of the Cameroon Professional Championship for the 2019/20 season. FECAFOOT nonetheless prohibited New Stars from participating in League 1 for the 2019/20 season and also appealed the CCA’s decision to CAS.
On 15 September 2020, the CAS rejected FECAFOOT’s appeal, meaning that the CCA’s decision of 21 October 2019 is confirmed. New Stars should therefore have remained in League 1 during the 2019/20 season.
New Stars was successfully represented in the CAS proceedings by William Sternheimer (Partner) of Morgan Sports Law.