This article is more than 3 months old
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Senegal’s FA confident it will win court appeal
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Government says it suspects corruption in Caf
The president of the Confederation of African football, Patrice Motsepe, has been accused of allowing Morocco to “dictate its law” after Senegal were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday
Senegal’s football federation said it would appeal to the court of arbitration for sport and the Senegalese government suspected corruption within Caf
Decision to strip Senegal of Afcon title has left me gobsmacked – and others in Africa furious
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Augustin Senghor, the Senegal federation president and a member of Caf’s executive committee, expects the court to overturn what he described as the “dangerous precedent” to award Morocco, the tournament hosts, a 3-0 win in the final
The FSF is understood to be confident on the grounds that article 5.2 in the International Football Association Board’s laws of the game states that the decisions of the referee are final regarding the result of a match. Senegal won the final 1-0 in January
The decision to hand victory to Morocco, because some Senegal players left the pitch for 15 minutes to protest against the award of a penalty just after a goal was disallowed at the other end, was made by the African confederation’s appeal board
Senghor posted on X: “Does the appeals committee master the laws of the game validated by Fifa and is therefore superior to this Afcon regulation according to Fifa and Caf statutes? Has it disregarded them? The Cas will censor this dangerous precedent
“They dared to do this! They dared to substitute themselves for the referee of the final in violation of the laws of the game! Africa and the world will know how to recognise the champions of the Cup of Nations Morocco 2026. Senegal will keep its trophy no matter what. Too bad for African football.”
Senghor, the chair of the African confederation’s legal affairs department, sent a private text message to Motsepe on Tuesday just before the decision was made public, alleging the ruling had been taken during “a secret meeting in Cairo”
Senghor wrote: “Something that nobody can imagine in the other continents or confederations, why should we accept and allow it to happen here in Caf, in Africa because someone is more strong or powerful or a country is more rich and then has more influence to dictate its law against all odds and despite the clear rules of our organisation?
“How long shall we continue to stand and look at this disastrous situation going on in full view of everyone of us and specially of the entire world?”
Motsepe said in a statement released in a video on Wednesday evening that Senegal have “a right” to appeal to Cas and that the African confederation will “respect the decision that’s taken at the highest level”. He said the Caf appeal board had taken its decision independently and was made up of “some of the most respected lawyers on the continent”. But he said that “suspicion and distrust” of referees was “a legacy issue”
The Senegal government expressed “profound dismay” on Wednesday at the decision and said it “directly contradicts the fundamental principles of sporting ethics, foremost among which are fairness, loyalty and respect for the truth of the game”
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It said Caf’s credibility and trustworthiness had been undermined by the ruling and that all legal avenues would be pursued to reverse it. “Senegal unequivocally rejects this unjustified attempt at dispossession,” it said. “It calls for an independent international investigation into suspected corruption within the Caf’s governing bodies.”
At an initial disciplinary hearing, Caf imposed fines of more than $1m and bans for Senegal and Morocco players and officials, but left the result untouched
Morocco’s football federation (FRMF) released a new statement on Wednesday that said its aim was to “ensure that the tournament rules are respected”. “Following the initial decision, which the FRMF appealed, CAF has acknowledged that the rules, known to all and applicable to all, had not been respected,” read the statement
“The FRMF has complied with the correct procedures governing the resolution of disputes, including submitting its arguments and taking part in the hearings to which it was invited. This decision helps to clarify the framework applicable to similar situations in the future and contributes to the consistency and credibility of international competitions, particularly African football.”
Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, and some of his players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest, returning after being implored to by the captain, Sadio Mané. Brahim Díaz’s penalty was saved to send the final into extra time, when Pape Gueye scored what was, until Tuesday, the winning goal
Mané and several of his Senegal teammates have criticised the decision, with the former Liverpool forward writing on Instagram: “What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in. There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent.”
Several members of Caf’s executive committee are considering not attending the next meeting, scheduled for the end of the month, as a protest against Motsepe’s leadership. “He is no longer able to run Caf,” one insider said
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