The Confederation of African Football (Caf) said on Monday that the South African club had refused to fly to the Indian Ocean island for the second leg of their first round encounter.

Madagascar has been hit by political turmoil in recent months and the airport in the capital Antananarivo has closed several times since January.

Chiefs officials said they were unable to secure a flight for their squad for March 22 match in the southern town of Tamatave because airline schedules had been drastically cut. They asked Caf for a postponement but this was rejected.

After Chiefs failed to arrive for the match, the case was referred to the organisation's club competitions committee, who made their decision over the weekend.

A Caf statement said: "The date and venue of the match was well known in advance by all parties concerned...the organising committee refutes the explanation of Kaizer Chiefs concerning their absence."

Chiefs won the first leg in Johannesburg 4-0 in early March. Caf gave no details of any further sanction against the South Africans. Normally there is also a fine and a three-year ban from continental club competition.

A ban would be a major setback to the club, who have ambitious plans in the lucrative African Champions League.

US Transfoot, competing in African club competition for the first time, now meet Jeanne d'Arc from the neighbouring French-controlled island of Reunion in the second round.

The first leg is scheduled for St Denis on April 15, with the return in Madagascar two weeks later.