The verdict was made due to Berkane’s refusal to play the match without their official kits. The kits had been confiscated by Algerian authorities when the team arrived in the country. These kits displayed the outline of Morocco, including the territory of Western Sahara.
Morocco controls a large part of this region, but the other part is ruled by the Algerian-backed Polisario Front. The Polisario Front has been fighting Morocco for close to five decades to gain full autonomy for the region. This refusal to play with the controversial kits led to the verdict.