Caf's Controversial Decision to Strip Senegal of Afcon Title Ignites Fury
The joy of Senegal's football triumph has been brutally overridden by a shocking decision from the Confederation of African Football's appeals committee. On Tuesday, the committee stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and handed it to Morocco, a ruling that has left veteran journalists, former committee members, and executive officials across the continent utterly gobsmacked and furious.
A Decision Against the Laws of the Game
In more than three decades of reporting on African football, Osasu Obayiuwana has experienced the full spectrum of emotions, from exhilaration at historic moments to deep despair over governance failures. This latest decision, however, stands out as particularly egregious. A former member of the appeals committee, who served for six years, expressed disbelief, stating, "I know that it does not have the power to change the on-field decision of a referee. I cannot understand how they came to this disgraceful decision."
The ruling blatantly contradicts point 5.2 of the laws of the game, which clearly states that a referee's decisions regarding facts connected with play, including goals and match results, are final. Samir Sobha, the Caf executive committee member from Mauritius, denounced the move as "a big joke," emphasizing, "We cannot correct a mistake by making another mistake ... Correcting one injustice with another cannot be considered an acceptable response, either from a sporting or an ethical standpoint."
A History of Ridiculous Rulings
This is not the first time Caf has made a baffling decision. In May 2019, during the second leg of the Champions League final between Espérance of Tunis and Wydad Casablanca, Gambian referee Papa Bakary Gassama declared Espérance the winners after Wydad's players walked off the field. Despite Gassama's verdict aligning with tournament rules and the laws of the game, Caf's executive committee overturned it in June, ordering a replay. It took a slapdown from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to finally respect the referee's decision and confirm Espérance as champions.
Remarkably, nine years later, Caf has plunged into another self-imposed governance crisis. The appeals body, led by Nigerian high court justice Roli Harriman, issued a ruling that mocks the laws of the game. Experts predict the Court of Arbitration for Sport will likely reverse this decision to uphold football's sacred rule: the referee's decision, barring video assistant referee interventions, is final.
The Afcon Final Officiating Nightmare
There is no denying that referee Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo had a disastrous performance during the Afcon final. His officiating was atrocious, including denying Senegal a deserved penalty and failing to declare the game abandoned when the Senegalese team walked off for over fifteen minutes in protest. However, once Ngambo decided to resume play, the outcome should have been determined solely on the field, not in a judicial setting. This principle is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of the sport.
A Defining Moment for Patrice Motsepe's Presidency
How this controversy resolves will be a defining moment for Patrice Motsepe's five-year presidency of Caf. The South African billionaire is already on shaky ground, with the African football community still reeling from the unacceptable and inexplicable postponement of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, which he had promised would proceed on time in Morocco. This latest debacle further erodes his credibility and legacy, casting a long shadow over his stewardship.
Senegal has vowed to appeal the decision, with officials declaring, "We will not back down." The outcome will not only impact the title but also set a precedent for football governance in Africa, testing the resilience of the sport's foundational rules and the trust of its passionate followers.
