Senegal Challenges CAF Decision on 2025 AFCON Title
Senegal, who secured their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 2021, have declared that the "fight is far from over" following the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip them of the 2025 AFCON title and award it to Morocco.
In January's final, Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0, but CAF overturned the result after Senegal's players walked off the pitch in protest when the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
The players returned after a 17-minute delay. Morocco's Brahim Diaz took a 'Panenka' penalty which was saved, and Senegal's Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in extra time.
Following an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), CAF ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match, recording the result as a 3-0 victory in favor of Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) announced its intention to appeal CAF's ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), describing the decision as "unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable," and stating it "brings discredit to African football."
"This decision is a breach of trust that is not based on any rule of law," FSF secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow told Senegalese TV channel RTS 1.
"We felt that the jury wasn't there to uphold the law, but to carry out an order.
"We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side. The fight is far from over. Senegal will defend its rights to the very end."
Some Senegalese players have indicated they will not surrender their winners' medals.
"We know what we experienced that evening in Rabat. And no-one can take that away from us," said Senegal and Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye on social media.
IFAB Considers Rules on Player Walk-Offs
The Senegal walk-off prompted the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football's lawmaking body, to initiate a consultation on handling situations where players or team officials unilaterally leave the field in protest against a referee's decision.
During the final, all Senegal players except Sadio Mane left the pitch after referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to Morocco shortly after disallowing a goal by Ismaila Sarr at the opposite end.
Ndala awarded the penalty in the 98th minute after being advised by the video assistant referee (VAR) to review defender El Hadji Malick Diouf's challenge on Brahim Diaz via the pitchside monitor.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the walk-off, calling it "unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner" and stating the scenes "must be condemned and never repeated."
The tournament saw extensive debate over refereeing decisions and VAR, with some journalists accusing officials of favoring Morocco.
Senegal had previously expressed concerns about their treatment and security upon arriving in Rabat for the final.
'Game Should Be Won on Field, Not Boardroom'
In its ruling awarding Morocco the title, CAF also partially upheld an appeal concerning an incident involving ball boys during the final and reduced the Moroccan FA's fine related to the incident.
In heavy rain, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy frequently dried his gloves, but ball boys repeatedly attempted to remove his towel. At one point, Senegal reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf was tackled and dragged on the ground by three ball boys when he intervened.
CAF also reduced a fine imposed for fans shining lasers at players on the pitch.
Raymond Hack, CAF's former head of disciplinary, questioned the governing body's decisions and suggested perceptions of "political interference," noting that Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Football Association, is also CAF's first vice-president.
"The circus continues," Hack told BBC World Service.
"A lot will depend on the referee's written report, but the fact that the referee allowed the game to continue and they went into extra time gives the impression that he was satisfied that the game will continue.
"He is the only person who can call an end to the game. Not the authorities, not the governing bodies, only the referee.
"Otherwise you're going to have situation worldwide where every time someone disagrees with a decision, they're going to go on appeal or take it to court or something ridiculous like that.
"The game should be won on the field of play not in a boardroom."
Hack, a lawyer and member of FIFA's disciplinary committee, added that Moroccan players should have informed the referee if they intended to play under protest to challenge the result.
He also noted that CAS could take up to six months to rule on Senegal's appeal.
Moroccan journalist Jalal Bounar told Newsday that CAF's decision was met with "great excitement and joy across the country."
"Morocco appealed the decision to the confederation of African football because they believed that Senegal had broken the rules during the match, and that's why Moroccans went out to celebrate," he said.
"If they give it to Senegal, it won't be the end of the world. We will accept because we are satisfied that we reached the final."
However, North African journalist Maher Mezahi said this sentiment was not shared continent-wide.
"It does seem like the rest of Africa feels outraged by this because it seems like, once again, the Confederation of African Football has almost disgraced the sport," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Mezahi referenced CAF's decision to ban Togo from two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments after quitting the 2010 competition following a gun attack on their team bus in Angola.
Referring to the 2025 final decision, he said: "They have, unfortunately, come up with a habit of releasing decisions like this - whether it's the disciplinary committee or the appeals board - that eventually do get shot down at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but it makes the entire thing look very amateurish."
