The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations title, declaring Morocco the champion instead. According to multiple reports, the CAF Appeals Board ruled that Senegal forfeited the final due to player misconduct during the chaotic match in January.
Key Takeaways
Senegal has been stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled that the team forfeited the final due to player misconduct. The CAF Appeals Board declared Morocco the champion, changing the result from Senegal's 1-0 victory to a 3-0 default win for Morocco.
- Senegal players walked off the pitch during the final in protest of a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco.
- The CAF cited tournament regulations stating that leaving the field without referee authorization results in a forfeit.
- Senegal plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the players' actions as unacceptable.
- The appeal trial of 18 imprisoned Senegalese supporters has been postponed until March 30.
Several sources confirm that Senegalese players walked off the pitch at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat after Morocco was awarded a controversial penalty late in second-half stoppage time. The players, led by coach Pape Thiaw, protested the decision for 15 minutes before returning to the field. After the penalty was saved and Senegal scored the only goal of the game in extra time, the match ended with a 1-0 victory for Senegal.
The CAF Appeals Board cited Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, which state that if a team leaves the ground without the referee's authorization, it shall be considered the loser and eliminated from the competition. The result has been officially recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco.
Senegal's government and football authorities have strongly condemned the decision. Senegalese government spokeswoman Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye called for an independent international investigation into suspected corruption within CAF's governing bodies, according to eNCA. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) defended its appeal, stating that it was never intended to contest the sporting performance but solely to request the application of competition regulations.
Senegal plans to appeal the decision as soon as possible to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to eNCA and Sky News. CAF president Patrice Motsepe stressed his support for the right of African countries to make appeals to CAS, saying that African football's governing body would respect the decision taken at the highest level.
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