Senegal’s football federation has accused the Confederation of African Football (Caf) of corruption after the country was stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title. The decision, which awarded Morocco a 3-0 win in the final, has been described as a “dangerous precedent” by Senegalese officials.
Augustin Senghor, president of the Senegalese federation and a member of Caf’s executive committee, said the ruling violated the laws of the game. He argued that under International Football Association Board rules, the referee’s decision is final regarding the result. Senegal won the original final 1-0 in January, but the result was overturned after some players left the pitch for 15 minutes to protest a penalty award.
Senghor sent a private message to Caf president Patrice Motsepe alleging the decision was made during a “secret meeting in Cairo”. He questioned why a richer or more powerful country should be allowed to “dictate its law” within Caf. The Senegalese government expressed “profound dismay” and called for an independent investigation into suspected corruption within Caf’s governing bodies.
Motsepe defended the decision, stating that the appeal board acted independently and comprised respected lawyers. He acknowledged Senegal’s right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). The Senegal federation confirmed it would appeal, expressing confidence that the Cas would overturn the ruling.
Morocco’s football federation said its aim was to ensure tournament rules were respected, adding that the decision clarified the framework for similar situations in future. Caf initially imposed fines of over $1m and bans on players and officials from both sides but left the original result unchanged before the appeal.
