CAF executive condemns Senegal AFCON title strip as ‘abject’ and vows to fight ruling
Morocco have been named as the African Cup of Nations winners
A senior figure at African football’s governing body has described the decision to strip Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title as “abject” and has vowed to fight the ruling all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in January’s final in Rabat, Pape Gueye scoring the winner in extra time after Brahim Diaz’s penalty for the hosts was saved.
However, following an appeal by the Moroccan Football Association, CAF ruled on Tuesday that Senegal had forfeited the match by walking off the pitch in protest when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, despite play resuming after a 17-minute delay.
The result has been recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
Augustin Senghor, a CAF executive committee member and former head of the Senegalese Football Federation, was scathing in his response. “In a situation like this, we have to fight against injustice,” he said.
“Football is fair play, football is played on the field, not in offices. What happened with Caf was unacceptable. When you see a committee taking such a decision in violation of our rules, in violation of the FIFA laws of the game, to take the trophy and give it to Morocco, I think it is something very abject. We have to denounce it.”
Senghor also alleged that the ruling had been made under external pressure and was unequivocal about where he believed Senegal’s appeal would ultimately be resolved.
“Senegal will fight because what happened is happening for the first time in the story of African football, in world football. I am sure that if we go to CAF then we will win and the trophy will never leave Senegal. It is clear in my mind.”
CAF president defends decision
CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe defended the process, insisting the governing body’s disciplinary structures must be respected. “It is important that the decisions of our CAF disciplinary board and the CAF appeals board are viewed with the respect and integrity that is very important to us,” he said.
“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner which is more preferential or more advantageous or more favourable than any other.”
The Moroccan Football Association said in a statement that the verdict “upholds respect for rules that are necessary for the proper functioning of international competition” and that it “contributes to the consistency and credibility of international competitions, particularly African football.”
Former Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal coach Claude le Roy went further, directing criticism not just at CAF, but at FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“For a long time with CAF, there is nobody of high quality driving this confederation and they are under control of Mr Infantino, and I think all problems are coming from there,” he said.
“Before this, it was a fantastic Africa Cup of Nations, the most beautiful in the history of AFCON. We cannot understand this decision so long later. That means that they killed all the spirit of this so beautiful AFCON in Morocco.”