AFCON
Morocco left short-changed as CAF sanctions spark outrage after AFCON final fiasco
By Kunle Solaja, who was at AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
By any objective measure, the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final in Rabat was meant to be a celebration of African football. Instead, it has become a case study in how not to apply disciplinary justice, and Morocco finds itself at the centre of the fallout.
The decision of the CAF Disciplinary Committee to hand down what many observers have described as “incoherent and timid” sanctions following the January 18 final between hosts Morocco and Senegal has triggered serious questions about consistency, proportionality and equality before the rules.
Those questions have now been amplified by Raymond Hack, the immediate past chairman of CAF’s Disciplinary Committee, who, according to Osasu Obayiuwana, a journalist, broadcaster and lawyer, described the incident as “probably the most important, and certainly the most embarrassing situation” CAF has ever faced, outside of tragedies involving loss of life or stadium collapses.
Failure to apply CAF’s own rules
Central to the controversy is CAF’s apparent refusal to apply its own Disciplinary Code. Both the match commissioner and the referee reportedly stated clearly that the Senegalese team left the pitch in protest following a VAR decision. Under Articles 82 and 84 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, such an act attracts strict and automatic sanctions, including forfeiture and heavy disciplinary consequences.
Yet those provisions were never invoked.
For Moroccan officials and supporters, this omission represents a serious breach of the principle of equality before the rules. Hosting the final in Rabat placed Morocco under intense global scrutiny, yet when order broke down, the governing body appeared unwilling to enforce the very regulations designed to protect the integrity of the competition.
Disproportionate and illogical punishments
Hack was unsparing in his assessment of the penalties imposed, especially the five-match suspension and $100,000 fine handed to Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.
Pape Thiaw beckoning on the Senegalese players to leave the pitch.
“The entire incident was caused by the coach of the Senegalese team, who took it upon himself to call the players off,” Hack said. “If he had not done that, you may not have had the reaction from the supporters that you had, or the reaction from the players.”
In disciplinary terms, the sanctions have been widely criticised as disproportionate when compared with previous CAF cases.
Saibari was once suspended for three matches for moving a towel. Samuel Eto’o received a four-match ban for misconduct in the stands and not on the pitch. Yet a coach who effectively sabotaged a continental final broadcast to the world and in the presence of both the FIFA President, the CAF President and the representative of the leadership of the host nation, received only a marginal slap on the wrist.
To many in Morocco, this sends a troubling message: that the gravest offence of disrupting a showpiece final ranks only marginally above minor breaches of discipline. A player who gets two yellow cards is punished with a match suspension.
Yet a coach, who put the continent in a disgraceful situation, is suspended for five matches and fined – a penalty that his football federation will easily write off.
Damage to Morocco’s moment on the continental stage
The Rabat final was not just another match. It was Africa’s biggest football occasion, staged in one of the continent’s most modern footballing environments, with Morocco positioning itself as a model host ahead of future global tournaments.
Instead, images of chaos, pitch abandonment, and unruly behaviour were beamed worldwide.
Hack, the former CAF head of the disciplinary committee, warned that the episode reinforced damaging stereotypes CAF has spent years trying to erase. “Again, it gives the impression that Africa doesn’t know how to control its spectators,” he said, noting that only the intervention of Senegal captain Sadio Mané prevented the situation from descending into tragedy.
For Morocco, the frustration is acute: the host nation complied with its organisational obligations, yet the disciplinary aftermath has left the stain of the final lingering far longer than the football itself.
What CAF should have done
According to Hack and several legal observers, CAF missed a critical opportunity to assert authority and protect the competition.
First, the Disciplinary Committee should have applied Articles 82 and 84 strictly, recognising the walk-off as an automatic and serious offence, irrespective of the emotions surrounding a final.
Second, the coach responsible should have faced a far heavier sanction, including a ban from all football activities for a minimum of six months, rather than a five-match suspension that still allows participation in marquee events like the World Cup.
Third, CAF should have placed greater responsibility on the Senegalese federation, both financially and administratively, to reinforce the principle that teams and officials are accountable for their conduct on the biggest stages.
Finally, CAF ought to have issued a firmer, clearer ruling that prioritised deterrence, credibility and institutional integrity over damage control.
A missed moment for leadership
For Morocco, the AFCON final was meant to be a showcase of progress, infrastructure and footballing ambition. Instead, the post-match handling has overshadowed the host nation’s achievement.
As Hack put it bluntly, “They missed the opportunity to really impose sanctions which were necessary.”
In Rabat, and across Africa, the lingering question remains whether CAF’s disciplinary framework is truly fit for purpose — or whether, when it matters most, the rules are simply optional.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
AFCON
Morocco Rejects Claims of Delay, Defends Legal Process in Case Involving Senegalese Supporters
Morocco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has firmly rejected allegations of unjustified delays and poor detention conditions in the ongoing case involving Senegalese football supporters arrested after unrest linked to a recent continental fixture in Rabat.
In an official clarification, judicial authorities described circulating claims as “unfounded,” insisting that the legal proceedings have been conducted in accordance with Moroccan law and international standards.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office categorically denied any suggestion that the case has been deliberately delayed. Authorities stated that all procedural timelines have been respected and that adjournments were made strictly within the framework of due process.
According to the statement, postponements of hearings were granted at the request of the defendants themselves to allow adequate time to prepare their defence and to ensure the presence of their legal representatives.
Judicial officials also dismissed reports alleging that the detainees were on hunger strike. They confirmed that the accused are receiving their meals regularly and that detention conditions comply with applicable regulations.
“The rumours suggesting otherwise are without basis,” the statement noted.
Authorities explained that one of the hearings was attended by a lawyer registered with a Bar Association in France. However, the absence of a consultation office in Morocco, coupled with the defendants’ preference to be tried in the presence of their chosen lawyers, led to a postponement of the hearing until February 12, 2026.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasised that these postponements were legitimate and aimed at safeguarding the defendants’ right to a fair trial.
Translation and Language Support
In response to concerns about language barriers, the court confirmed that it provided a sworn French-language interpreter during proceedings. French is reportedly mastered by all defendants.
Additionally, authorities coordinated with the Deputy Consul of Senegal in Morocco to make available an interpreter in Wolof, the defendants’ mother tongue, further ensuring that they fully understood the proceedings.
Officials also clarified that Moroccan law does not require the presence of an interpreter during the preliminary investigation phase if the judicial police officer understands the language of the individual concerned, provided that official reports are read and explained to them.
The Moroccan authorities reiterated their commitment to transparency, due process and the protection of the rights of all foreign nationals within the kingdom.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
A Moroccan court on Thursday sentenced 18 Senegalese football supporters to prison terms ranging from three to 12 months after finding them guilty of hooliganism during last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The supporters had been in pre-trial detention since 18 January, the day Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 in a tense and controversial final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
According to the court’s ruling, nine of the defendants received one-year prison sentences and were fined 5,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately $545). Six others were handed six-month terms alongside fines of 2,000 dirhams (about $218), while three supporters were sentenced to three months in prison and fined 1,000 dirhams (around $109).
Prosecutors had sought a maximum penalty of two years, arguing that the accused “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match” and engaged in “acts of violence broadcast live on television.”
Chaos at the Final
The AFCON final was overshadowed by dramatic scenes late in regulation time following a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review. Senegalese players protested the decision vehemently, surrounding the referee and causing play to be halted for nearly 20 minutes.
Amid the tension, some Senegalese supporters reportedly attempted to invade the pitch, while others threw objects — including chairs — onto the field. Players from both sides temporarily left the pitch before returning after intervention from security officials and match authorities.
Authorities said their case was supported by stadium surveillance footage and medical reports detailing injuries sustained by security personnel during the unrest.
However, defence lawyers rejected the charges and described the sentences as excessive.
“The footage does not contain irrefutable proof showing that any one of them struck or assaulted anyone,” defence counsel Naima El Guellaf told the court.
Another lawyer, Patrick Kabou, called the verdict “incomprehensible,” arguing that his clients were “victims” rather than perpetrators. The defence team has confirmed plans to file an appeal.
The ruling comes as football authorities continue to grapple with the fallout from a final that, despite Senegal’s historic victory, was overshadowed by controversy both on and off the pitch.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
French coach Herve Renard has reopened the debate around the controversial “towel incident” that marred the closing stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
Renard, who previously coached Morocco and now manages the Saudi Arabia national football team, addressed the episode in a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, describing it as a complex issue rooted partly in African football culture.
“The towel story is long and complicated. It has a certain significance, that’s all,” Renard said. He suggested that, if anyone attempted to remove the towel, it could have been intended to unsettle the opponent psychologically.
“In Europe, people don’t understand that there is something behind it. Was the towel charmed? In Africa, these are beliefs, and everyone is free to believe what they want,” he added.
Renard stressed that cultural context is often overlooked by outsiders. “Those who don’t know Africa cannot understand. In this case, Moroccans would never allow anyone to cross that line,” he said, while admitting he was unsure whether events unfolded exactly as widely portrayed. Drawing from his extensive coaching experience across the continent, he noted that similar charged atmospheres are not uncommon in high-stakes African fixtures.
The incident occurred during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1–0 to lift the continental crown.
Late in the match, attention shifted away from the ball to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel, which had been placed inside his goal to dry his gloves amid wet conditions. As tensions rose in the closing minutes, substitute goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf attempted to safeguard the towel, resulting in a chaotic scene inside the penalty area.
Television footage — quickly dubbed a “towel tussle” — showed Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari blocking Diouf as he tried to return the towel to Mendy, while a ball boy also reached for it. Diouf later insisted he had merely been assisting Mendy and had no intention of disrupting play.
Images circulating after the match appeared to show Moroccan players attempting to remove the towel, sparking a heated debate. Some observers viewed it as gamesmanship designed to unsettle the Senegalese goalkeeper, while others linked the episode to longstanding superstitious beliefs within segments of African football culture.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary committee subsequently sanctioned Saibari with a two-match suspension and a $100,000 fine. The midfielder later apologised to Mendy, stating that his actions had been misunderstood.
CAF’s refereeing chief, Olivier Safari, also addressed the matter in an interview with Canal+ Afrique.
“The towel is not part of a goalkeeper’s official equipment. Its use must remain within the spirit of fair play,” Safari explained. “If it influences the match, it must be removed from the playing area.”
His comments underscored the regulatory grey area surrounding auxiliary items such as towels, which are not formally recognised as playing equipment under the Laws of the Game but are commonly used for practical reasons.
While the final result stands and Senegal’s victory remains uncontested, the towel episode has lingered in public discourse — not merely as a fleeting controversy, but as a symbol of the psychological and cultural layers that often accompany African football.
Renard’s remarks add nuance to the debate, suggesting that what may appear trivial to some can carry deeper meaning in different footballing contexts.
Nearly a year after Senegal’s triumph in Rabat, the “towel incident” continues to provoke reflection, less about fabric inside a goalmouth, and more about the intersection of belief, psychology and competition at the highest level of African football.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women’s soccer players
NFF Slaps N1m Fine on Clubs that Fail to Honour Federation Cup Matches
Heineken Brings “Fans Have More Friends” Campaign to Nigeria for Champions League Round of 16
- WAFCON4 days ago
BREAKING: CAF Postpones WAFCON 2026
- World Cup13 hours ago
Iraq coach calls for delay to World Cup playoff amid travel shutdown
- OBITUARY5 days ago
Nigerian Sports Journalism Mourns Oyeniyi Oyeleke and Tonex Chukwu
- MLS1 week ago
Trump to Host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the White House
- DIPLOMACY14 hours ago
Morocco Backs Gulf Security, Condemns Iranian Attacks Against Brotherly Arab States
- World Cup6 days ago
‘I really don’t care’ if Iran plays in World Cup, Trump tells Politico
- World Cup4 days ago
Iraq’s World Cup Playoff in Doubt as War Disrupts Travel and Visa Processing
- FA Cup2 days ago
Eze thunderbolt guides Arsenal past Mansfield into FA Cup quarter-finals