An African giant's first game in the new African Football League (AFL) has now been moved after their government's controversial actions ahead of the tournament.
It has been confirmed that the first leg of the quarter-final clash between TP Mazembe and Esperance de Tunis has been moved to a new venue and away from the home side's stadium in DR Congo.
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The match was scheduled to take place on Saturday, 21 October, in Lubumbashi, but it has since been moved to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania after the Congolese government refused to grant visas for guests attending and blocked the import of broadcasting equipment, including VAR monitors, needed for the game.
The match will now take place the following day, on 22 October.
In a statement on their official website on Sunday, TP Mazembe slammed the Congolese government for failing to clear the equipmement through customs.
"Indeed, all CAF equipment, including the VAR, remains blocked under customs in Lubumbashi and the visas of CAF commissioners and VIP guests have, to date, not been issued," the statement read.
"Through its inexplicable attitude, the government deprives the only Congolese team selected within the very closed circle of African football giants from entering the competition and puts it at risk of shameful disqualification."
The club added that it has been unfairly targeted by its national government, stating: "For several years, TP Mazembe has been the victim of real discrimination by the government.
"Proof of this is that the Ravens are the only Congolese club not to have benefited from government support. This unfair treatment ultimately leads to the belief that the money from the Public Treasury would be produced in the village of the Minister of Finance who disposes of it as he wishes."
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According to reports, the AFL issued a letter on 1 October regarding the matter, but have not heard back from Congolese officials.
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