Senegal Footballer Pape Matar Sarr Calls for Release of Detained Fans After AFCON Final Chaos
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr has publicly demanded the immediate release of eighteen Senegal football supporters who have been held in detention in Morocco for over a month. This follows the highly contentious Africa Cup of Nations final that took place last month, where Senegal clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over tournament hosts Morocco to secure only their second AFCON championship in history.
Injustice Highlighted as Fans Face Court Appearance
In a passionate post on social media platform X, Sarr, who missed the final due to illness, labeled the ongoing detention of his compatriots as a clear injustice. He emphasized that these supporters have now spent thirty-one days in custody simply for passionately backing their national team during the match. Sarr's statement read, 'Thirty days of detention for supporters whose only crime was to support their team with passion. We strongly denounce this injustice and demand their release. Total support for our compatriots.'
His intervention comes just two days before the detained fans are scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday, adding urgency to the calls for their freedom. The final, which should have been a momentous occasion for Senegalese football, was overshadowed by multiple incidents of fan trouble and violent clashes in the stands of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Severe Penalties Issued by Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed significant fines and suspensions in response to the chaotic scenes that unfolded during and after the match. In total, the football associations of Morocco and Senegal were fined a combined £914,000 for various breaches of conduct. Senegal's FA alone received a £445,000 penalty due to the behavior of their players and some supporters, following violent altercations with security personnel at the stadium.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has been suspended for five matches and fined £72,000 for unsporting conduct after instructing his players to leave the pitch. This occurred when a controversial extra-time penalty was awarded to Morocco, shortly after the referee denied a spot kick to Senegal. The match was paused for a staggering seventeen minutes as a result, with riot police struggling to contain furious Senegalese fans and players nearly coming to blows on the touchline.
Player Bans and Further Controversies
Individual players from both teams have also faced disciplinary action. Everton's Iliman Ndiaye and Crystal Palace's Ismaïla Sarr, key figures in Senegal's victory, were given two-match bans for their involvement in the on-pitch incidents. On the Moroccan side, captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match ban, with one suspended for a year, while Ismael Saibari was handed a three-match ban and a £72,000 fine.
Morocco's FA was fined £228,000 for the conduct of their ball boys, who aggressively attempted to swipe the towel of Senegal's backup goalkeeper, as well as for players and staff interfering in the VAR area and fans using laser pens to distract Senegal players. Notably, Morocco's bid to overturn the match result due to Senegal's walkout was rejected by CAF.
Match Decided by Dramatic Extra-Time Goal
Despite the off-field turmoil, the match itself was decided by a brilliant extra-time strike from Pape Gueye, securing Senegal's second successive AFCON title. Earlier, it had seemed Morocco might triumph on home soil when they were awarded a late penalty, but Brahim Diaz's panenka attempt was easily saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who stayed central to keep the scores level.
The post-match chaos continued, with Senegal boss Thiaw forced to abandon his press conference amid boos from Moroccan journalists, leading to clashes between media representatives from both nations. This incident further highlighted the deep tensions that marred what should have been a celebratory event for African football.
