Hakimi Refuses ‘Boardroom’ AFCON Crown

LEADERSHIP: Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi stuns African football by rejecting a CAF-awarded AFCON title, insisting Senegal’s on-field victory must stand…

By  Modern Ghana News and WSAM Reporter

Morocco national soccer captain, Achraf Hakimi – in a rare display of sportsmanship – has publicly rejected the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, despite a CAF Appeal Board ruling that awarded it to Morocco after Senegal was stripped of the title for walking off the field for almost 20 minutes during their cup final early this year.

‘’ My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I am officially rejecting it and hope my friends and teammates  will do the same’’, Hakimi told Ghana News in a statement yesterday. (Sat).

He could not claim victory he did not earn on the pitch. ‘’ I did not win the 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again.’’ 

His decision, which has shocked many in the football fraternity, has thrown a spanner in the works  after the Royal Moroccan Football Federation welcomed CAF Appeal Board’s decision to award the title to their national side. Hakimi’s decision has also been seen as an egg in the face of CAF’s governing structures which came under heavy criticism for its belated decision viewed by many as a shame for Africa.’’

Hakimi, a true sportsman, conceded that his team had a chance to win the title but failed.  He insisted on respecting the on-field result where Senegal won, stating that he believed his teammates did not deserve the trophy. He cited that the decision to reject the title was partially influenced by his mother, emphasizing fair play and respecting Senegal’s hard-earned victory.

He acknowledged that Senegal beat them fairly, stating that it would be unfair to ruin their joy after the hard work they put in.

Hakimi’s decision has been noted as a rare, major demonstration of sportsmanship in African football, according to Modern Ghana news.

The Paris Saint – Germain defender stressed that sporting integrity should come before administrative rulings. He added that Senegal beat them fairly and deserve to win.

The decision by the CAF Appeal Board to strip Senegal of their 2025 AFCON title and award it to tournament hosts, Morocco, triggered angry reactions in the football fraternity who labelled the ruling the most disgraceful in football history.

    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.’’

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.’’   

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 Moroccan Football Federation welcomed the  Appeal Board’s decision stressing that they were not challenging the sporting performance but rather calling for the strict application of competition regulations.