WeeklySA_AdminApply : There is a claim that the appeal board did not apply the law but carried out an order
By Monk Nkomo
The decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board to strip Senegal of their 2025 AFCON title and award it to tournament hosts, Morocco, has triggered angry reactions in the football fraternity who labelled the ruling the most disgraceful in football history.
The CAF Appeal Board upheld a protest by Morocco after Senegal players – led by their coach, Pape Thiaw – walked off the field during their final in Rabat on January 18 this year shortly after the referee had awarded Morocco a penalty towards the end of the game. Play was delayed for almost 15 minutes until the players were recalled from their dressing room by their captain, Sadio Mane and play then resumed.
The penalty, which was eventually taken by Morocco’s forward, Brahim Diaz, was saved by goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy throwing the match into extra time and Senegal scoring the only goal that won them the title.
In a dramatic turn of events this week, the CAF Appeal Board released a statement dethroning Senegal of the title and awarding the championship to Morocco and officially recording the result a 3-0 victory to the hosts.
This decision overturned an initial Disciplinary Board ruling which had imposed fines of more than a million US dollars and bans for Senegalese and Morocco players and officials but left the result unchanged.
The CAF Appeal Board this week set aside this decision and stripped Senegal of the title triggering a serious backlash by officials, players and critics who described the decision as an embarrassment, a travesty of justice and an unprecedented blow to African football.
According to The Guardian newspaper, the Senegalese Football Federation and the government has called for an independent, international investigation into CAF’s governing structures. They labelled the ruling ‘’ unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable’’ adding that the decision undermined the integrity of African football.
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation, said they were preparing to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne Switzerland. He called the decision by the CAF Appeal Board a shame for Africa.
‘’This decision is a travesty that rests on no legal basis. We felt that the panel was not there to apply the law but to carry out an order.’’
Interviewed by The Guardian, Samir Sobha, the CAF executive member from Mauritius , said : ‘’ It is a big joke. 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.’’
South Africa’s national soccer Head coach, Hugo Broos, lashed at the Confederation of African Football for its lack of decisive action and argued that the controversy could have been avoided if CAF had intervened immediately when the Senegalese players walked off the field for almost 20 minutes.
He accused CAF ‘s governing body of inconsistency and enforcing its own rules.’’ Critics suggest that delayed decisions and inconsistent rulings could damage the credibility of major tournaments. Although the final was filled with tension and excitement, the aftermath is now shifting attention away from the game and toward deeper concerns about transparency, accountability and consistency within African football’s top governing structures.’’
Colin Udoh of ESPN was quoted in the Guardian saying CAF’s decision to overturn Senegal’s title and award it to Morocco was the ‘’ most disgraceful decision.’’
Analysts and former officials, according to The Guardian, have also voiced concerns that overriding the finality of referee decisions caused discredit to African football.
Critics argued that because the match was allowed to finish, the retroactive forfeiture was a bungle by CAF officials.
Lewis Steele, a British Daily Football writer said : ‘’ The night Senegal won the AFCON was the craziest game I have ever attended. Morocco can never claim what Sadio Mane and Co. achieved as their own.’’
South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, supported the action by the Senegal Football Federation to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In an interview with SABC News’ Morning Live show, he said : ‘’ We will not allow Morocco to continue bullying African football and the Confederation of Africa Football’s other 53 member associations.
‘’ We must not beat around the bush. Senegal are the Africa Champions because football games are not won in the boardroom. We will stand by Senegal and assist them. We have top lawyers in the country who will help out.’’
The Guardian quoted Osasu Obayiuwana as saying the CAF Appeal Board ‘s decision was against the laws of the game and ‘’casts another shadow over Patrice Motsepe’s stewardship as president.’’
‘’ As a person who was on the appeals board for six years. I know it does not have the power to change the on-field decision of a referee.
The decision has also left members of the CAF executive furious , knowing that point 5,2 of the laws of the game makes it clear that the decisions of a referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match , are final’’.
According to The Guardian, CAF president, Patrice Motsepe defended the Appeal Board’s decision citing that Senegal players’ walk off the field for almost 15 minutes triggered articles 82 and 84 of the regulations. He reiterated that such an act was unacceptable.
Critics argued that the appeal verdict seemed to override the referee’s authority in making field-of-play decisions.
The Royal Morocco Football Federation welcomed the decision stressing that they were not challenging the sporting performance but rather calling for the strict application of competition regulations.
RESPONSE FROM THE CAF APPEAL BOARD
The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
On the appeal by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CAF Appeal Board made the following rulings:
* “The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.
* The CAF Disciplinary Board decision is set aside.
* The CAF Appeal Board further finds that the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.
* The protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld.
* It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.
* In application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
* All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
The CAF Appeal Board also ruled that:
-* “The appeal lodged in respect of Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is partially upheld.
-* The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) committed misconduct in violation of Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
-* The sanction imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is amended to a suspension of two (2) official CAF matches, of which one (1) match is suspended.
-* The fine of 100,000 US dollars imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is set aside.
-* The appeal lodged in respect of the ball boys incident is partially upheld.
* The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is responsible for the conduct of the ball boys during the aforementioned match.
* The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the ball boys incident is reduced to 50,000 US dollars.
* The appeal lodged in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is dismissed.
* The fine of 100,000 US dollars imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is confirmed.
* The appeal lodged in respect of the laser incident is partially upheld.
* The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the laser incident is reduced to 10,000 US dollars.
* All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.
