Senegal have condemned the decision to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations title, labelling it “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable”, and saying it casts a shadow over African football.

Morocco ​were declared African champion on Tuesday after the Confederation of African Football’s Appeal Board ‌upheld their protest and found Senegal’s walk-off during the final on January 18 were grounds for them to be disqualified and the match result declared 3-0 in favour of the hosts.

Senegal won the final in Rabat with an extra-time goal, ​but not before staging a 14-minute walk-off after a penalty was awarded against them in ​stoppage time at the end of the regulation 90 minutes.

The protest was instigated by coach ⁠Papa Bouna Thiaw, subsequently handed a lengthy ban, and saw Senegal’s veteran striker Sadio Mane emerge ​as a hero as he attempted to get his teammates back onto the field.

Once Senegal returned to ​the pitch, the referee allowed play to continue with Morocco squandering the last-gasp penalty and the encounter then going to extra time, with midfielder Pape Gueye netting the 94th-minute winner.

However, CAF’s Appeal Board said that by walking off, Senegal contravened ​tournament regulations and forfeited the game.

“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, ​which casts a shadow over African football,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

“To defend its rights and the interests of ‌Senegalese football, ⁠the federation will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”

The Swiss-based CAS had to intervene in 2019 when Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca walked off in the second leg of the African Champions League final, also protesting against VAR.

In that case, they refused to ​play on, and the ​referee declared opponents Esperance ⁠as winners, but CAF’s executive committee then surprisingly ordered a replay.

Esperance took the matter to CAS and were declared champions, with CAF embarrassingly rebuked, opens new tab for attempting ​to override the referee’s decision.

The decision by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to ​continue with the ⁠Cup of Nations final in January, rather than stop it and declare Morocco winners after Senegal’s walk-off, will likely feature strongly in any arguments for a reinstatement of Senegal as champions.

The Laws of the Game ⁠state the ​referee’s decision is final.

“No one could have imagined such a ​statement two months after the final,” said veteran coach Claude Le Roy, who managed Senegal between 1988 and 1992.

“For years, all ​the refereeing decisions have been flouted by the CAF,” he said on French television.

-Reuters

 

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By Kunle Solaja.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to the Morocco national football team after ruling that the Senegal national football team forfeited the final match of the tournament.

In a landmark decision announced on Wednesday, the CAF Appeal Board invoked Article 84 of the AFCON Regulations to declare Senegal to have forfeited the final played at the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, with the result officially recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.

The ruling followed an appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football, challenging the earlier decision of CAF’s Disciplinary Board.

Appeal Upheld, Earlier Decision Overturned

CAF confirmed that Morocco’s appeal was admissible and upheld, leading to the overturning of the Disciplinary Board’s initial ruling.

The Appeal Board found that the conduct of the Senegal team fell within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, and that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, through its team’s actions, had breached the competition rules.

As a result:

• Senegal was declared to have forfeited the final match
• Morocco was awarded a 3–0 victory
• All other claims by Senegal were dismissed

Sanctions and Additional Rulings

The CAF Appeal Board also issued several decisions relating to incidents during the final:

Player Misconduct

• Moroccan midfielder Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct.
• His punishment was reduced to a two-match suspension, with one match suspended.
• A previously imposed $100,000 fine was cancelled.

Ball Boys Incident

• Morocco was held responsible for the conduct of the ball boys.
• The fine was reduced to $50,000.

VAR/Referee Interference

• The Appeal Board upheld a $100,000 fine against Morocco for interference around the VAR review area.

Laser Incident

• The fine imposed on Morocco was reduced to $10,000.

All other appeals and motions were dismissed.

Major Implications

The decision represents one of the most dramatic rulings in AFCON history, effectively overturning the outcome of a continental final through regulatory enforcement.

By applying Articles 82 and 84, CAF reinforced its position on disciplinary compliance and match conduct, with the forfeiture ruling handing Morocco the title without the need for a replay.

The ruling also underscores CAF’s willingness to impose severe sanctions, including match forfeiture, where teams are found to have breached competition regulations.

Final Outcome

• Morocco: Declared AFCON 2025 champions (3–0 awarded win)
• Senegal: Final forfeited due to regulatory breaches

The decision brings a definitive end to the dispute surrounding the AFCON 2025 final, with Morocco officially crowned champions of Africa.

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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.

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