- Safiu Kehinde
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has rejected the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Appeals Board ruling which stripped the West African nation of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and awarded 3-0 victory to the tournament’s host country, Morocco.
NPO Reported that CAF Appeals Board had on Tuesday overturned the ruling of the association’s Disciplinary Board as it stripped Senegal of the title won during the controversial final in January.
While the disciplinary board had in its ruling fined both countries and some of their player over misconducts without making reference to Senegal’s walk-off protest during the match, the Moroccan Football Federation had appealed the ruling.
Two months after the match, the appeal board declared Morocco the new AFCON champions as it ruled that the Senegalese team had forfeited the match with its players walk off the pitch after the controversial penalty call in favour of the host nation.
According to the statement issued by CAF, the walk-off protest violated the Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations.
In doing so, the body overturned the decision that had been rendered by the CAF Disciplinary Board, on the grounds that the appellant’s right to be heard had not been respected during the initial proceedings.
Consequently, CAF declared that the FSF had violated Article 82 and awarded the match by forfeit to Senegal, with a recorded score of 3-0 in favor of the FRMF, pursuant to Article 84.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued shortly after the ruling, Senegal rejected the ruling, declaring it as an unfair decision and a discredit to African football.
The Teranga Lions vowed to initiate an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) as it reaffirmed its commitment to integrity and sporting justice.
“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football.
“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 (CAS) in Lausanne.
The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter.” The statement read.
Recall that the 2025 AFCON Final showdown at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, was highly subjected to controversies ranging from refereeing decisions to towel theft and harassment of Senegal’s reserve goalkeeper by ball boys.
The referee’s decision to cancel Senegal’s goal while awarding penalty to Morocco few minutes to the end of the game had sparked outrage across the stadium with Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, ordering his players to walk-off the pitch.
This also extended to the stand where Senegalese fans clashed with the Moroccan fans while destroying the stadium facilities.
Meanwhile, the Teranga Lions were ushered back to the pitch by the team’s captain, Sadio Mane, as they accepted the penalty call by the referee.
The cheeky Panenka spot kick taken by Real Madrid’s forward, Brahim Diaz, was however saved by Senegalese goalkeeper, Eduoard Mendy, with the West African nation subsequently punishing the host nation with an extra time goal to lift the title now stripped from them.