Court Of Arbitration For Sport CAS In Lausanne Switzerland
Fact Check: Sidama Coffee’s CAS Appeal – Claims Unsubstantiated by International Sports Court
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – In a developing story that contradicts recent announcements from Sidama Coffee Football Club, Ethio Insight has conducted a fact-check with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Our investigation reveals that claims by Sidama Coffee FC regarding an appeal lodged against the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) decision have not been substantiated by CAS officials.
On July 12, 2025, Sidama Coffee FC publicly announced that they had formally submitted an appeal to CAS, challenging the EFF’s ruling to strip them of the 2025 Ethiopian Cup and award it to Wolaita Dicha Sport Club. This was followed by a further announcement from the club’s board on July 14, 2025, stating that their “complaint letter submitted to CAS has been accepted. Congratulations!”
However, upon reaching out directly to CAS officials for verification, Ethio Insight received a clear denial of these claims. A senior communication officer at CAS confirmed, “recently no sports club from Ethiopia submitted a complaint to us.”
The official further elaborated on CAS’s standard procedure, stating, “if any club formally submits their appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, we publish it on CAS Official Website, so that everyone can see the status of a case.” As of our inquiry, no such appeal from Sidama Coffee Football Club appears on the official CAS Official Website.
Furthermore, the CAS official explicitly confirmed to Ethio Insight that “Sidama Coffee Football Club has not submitted an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 12, 2025, also no complaint letter submitted to CAS has been accepted.”
In a significant revelation, the CAS official also highlighted the financial aspect of international appeals, stating, “appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) are not free, someone wants to appeal to pay for services, and also misleading the public [is] not to comply with sport ethics.” This underscores the financial commitment required for such a process, raising further questions about Sidama Coffee’s public statements.
This contradictory information raises serious concerns about the accuracy of Sidama Coffee FC’s announcements regarding their purported appeal to the international sports arbitration body. Ethio Insight will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available.
It is important to note that the Ethiopian Football Federation’s executive committee had on May 31, 2025, officially reversed the outcome of the 2025 Ethiopian Cup final, declaring Wolaita Dicha Sport Club as the rightful champions. This decision not only awarded the trophy to Wolaita Dicha but also granted them a spot in the upcoming 2025/2026 CAF Confederation Cup. Wolaita Dicha’s complaint cited Sidama Coffee fielding suspended players and biased officiating during the controversial final.
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