Senegal has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the decision to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco, the Swiss-based tribunal confirmed on Wednesday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) acknowledged receiving an appeal from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. Senegal aims to reverse CAF’s ruling that revoked their title due to players leaving the field in protest during the Cup of Nations final on January 18, which Senegal won 1-0 in extra-time.
CAF upheld an appeal from the Moroccan Football Federation on March 17, stating that Senegal had violated tournament regulations by walking off the pitch. Consequently, Senegal was deemed to have forfeited the match, changing their 1-0 victory to a 3-0 defeat, thereby crowning hosts Morocco as champions. The appeal by Senegal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport aims to overturn CAF’s decision and declare the FSF as the winners of AFCON.
The CAS Director General, Matthieu Reeb, emphasized the importance of a swift arbitration process while ensuring a fair hearing for all parties involved. The controversial moment occurred when Morocco was awarded a contentious penalty in injury time while the game was tied 0-0. Senegalese fans reacted angrily, leading to a temporary halt in the match as players protested the penalty decision. Eventually, Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in extra-time, securing their second continental title after their initial victory in 2022.
Following CAF’s decision to overturn the match result, the Moroccan Federation clarified that their intent was to uphold competition regulations rather than challenge the teams’ sporting performance. CAF President Patrice Motsepe expressed support for African countries’ right to appeal to CAS, ensuring respect for the final decision made at the highest level.
In the aftermath of the final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino criticized “some Senegal players” for their behavior during the match. Senegal and Morocco are presently engaged in friendly matches as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup. Senegal is scheduled to play against Peru at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, while Morocco, under new coach Mohamed Ouahbi, will face Ecuador in Madrid on Friday and then take on Paraguay in Lens, France, on March 31.