Kenyan Premier League champions, Tusker, have been locked out of the 2022–23 Caf Champions League season.
This is according to the fixtures released by the continental football governing body, Caf, following draws conducted in Rabat, Morocco on Monday.
The axe also fell on Kenya Women's Premier League (KWPL) champions, Vihiga Queens, who were omitted from the Caf Women Champions League - Cecafa zone qualifiers draw.
The two top-flight sides are casualties of an existing stand-off between Kenya and the world football governing body, Fifa.
Fifa suspended Kenya after accusing the government of expelling the duly elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and replacing it with the Transition Committee.
Tusker head coach, Robert Matano, said he needs time to familiarize himself with the situation before he can comment on the matter.
“I'm yet to get official communication and so I'm not in a position to comment on the matter. I shall weigh in once I have all the details in place,” Matano said.
“As the Cecafa region 2021 champions, we will not be defending the title due to the ongoing FIFA suspension on Kenya,” confirmed Vihiga Queens social media page.
“It is the players who suffer most in such situations like the one we have found ourselves in, as this is not a mistake of their own making. It is unfortunate that opportunities they have worked so hard to earn on the field of play are yanked away from them just like that.
“Our prayer is that what we are going through now does not affect any other club from this region in the future.
“We further pray that all the bodies tasked with the noble task of managing football in this region be they governments, FAs, or all else in-between find a way of working in harmony as it is the players who bear the brunt of their fights," Vihiga Queen concluded.
Unlike the last three previous seasons, this year's edition of the Caf Champions League final will be played in a two-legged format.
The move is meant to stem a repeat of the standoff witnessed in the last campaign between Caf and Egyptian representatives Al Ahly after the governing body settled on the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca as a venue for the 2022 CAF Champions League final.
Al Ahly said the facility was not a neutral venue but rather the home of their opponents Wydad Casablanca.
Associations that did not enter a team in the two continental showpieces include Senegal, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Mauritius, Namibia, Réunion, São Tomé and Príncipe.
Caf also specified that the 12 highest ranked national associations were allowed to register two teams.
The countries include Algeria, Angola, DR Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia.
The Caf Inter-club competitions Organising Committee said it will extend the five substitutions rule for the 2022/23 interclub season.
The registration period for players eligible in the preliminary rounds closes on August 15.
The Caf Inter-club Competitions Committee further provided clarity on special conditions of engagement for Member Associations that did not complete their national competitions.
“MAs that could not complete the season 2021/2022 and considered that this season is cancelled and not counted, the engaged teams in the next CAF Champions League.”
