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Patrice Motsepe led CAF a disgrace, crowns Morocco
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Morocco have been officially crowned Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions after a dramatic ruling by the Confederation of African Football Appeal Board overturned Senegal's victory two months after the final.
In a landmark decision announced on Tuesday, CAF ruled that Senegal forfeited the match after their players walked off the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco. As a result, the final has been recorded as a 3-0 win in favour of Morocco, handing them their second AFCON title.
A CAF statement confirmed: "The Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final match… with the result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour of Morocco. All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed."
The ruling followed an appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), who maintained their case was based purely on enforcing competition regulations rather than disputing on-field performance.
In an initial response, the FRMF welcomed the decision, stating their commitment to "respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions."
The decision strips Senegal of the title won in January and affects several high-profile players, including Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and Ismaila Sarr, who now lose their champion status.
Meanwhile, Morocco's squad—featuring Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz—can now celebrate a belated continental triumph.
Senegal may still challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The controversy stems from a dramatic sequence late in the AFCON final. Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a stoppage-time penalty following a VAR review of a challenge by El Hadji Malick Diouf on Brahim Diaz.
Furious with the decision—particularly after a late goal for Senegal had been disallowed—head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch in protest. The walk-off caused a 16-minute delay before Senegal eventually returned to complete the match.
Although Morocco missed the penalty, with Edouard Mendy making the save, Senegal went on to win 2-1 in extra time through a goal by Pape Gueye.
However, the walk-off ultimately proved decisive in CAF's ruling.
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui had strongly criticised the incident after the match, calling it damaging to African football's image.
"The image we've given of Africa is shameful," he said. "A coach who asks his players to leave the field does not honour Africa."
Thiaw later expressed regret over his decision, admitting he acted in the heat of the moment and apologising for the disruption.
CAF also condemned what it described as "unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials" during the final.
Despite the controversy, Mane revealed he played a key role in convincing teammates to return to the pitch and finish the match, warning that abandoning the game entirely would have sent a damaging message about African football.
The ruling now rewrites the outcome of one of the most dramatic AFCON finals in recent history—transforming Senegal's moment of glory into a regulatory defeat, and handing Morocco a title they narrowly missed on the pitch.
In a landmark decision announced on Tuesday, CAF ruled that Senegal forfeited the match after their players walked off the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco. As a result, the final has been recorded as a 3-0 win in favour of Morocco, handing them their second AFCON title.
A CAF statement confirmed: "The Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final match… with the result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour of Morocco. All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed."
The ruling followed an appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), who maintained their case was based purely on enforcing competition regulations rather than disputing on-field performance.
In an initial response, the FRMF welcomed the decision, stating their commitment to "respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions."
The decision strips Senegal of the title won in January and affects several high-profile players, including Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and Ismaila Sarr, who now lose their champion status.
Meanwhile, Morocco's squad—featuring Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz—can now celebrate a belated continental triumph.
Senegal may still challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The controversy stems from a dramatic sequence late in the AFCON final. Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a stoppage-time penalty following a VAR review of a challenge by El Hadji Malick Diouf on Brahim Diaz.
Although Morocco missed the penalty, with Edouard Mendy making the save, Senegal went on to win 2-1 in extra time through a goal by Pape Gueye.
However, the walk-off ultimately proved decisive in CAF's ruling.
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui had strongly criticised the incident after the match, calling it damaging to African football's image.
"The image we've given of Africa is shameful," he said. "A coach who asks his players to leave the field does not honour Africa."
Thiaw later expressed regret over his decision, admitting he acted in the heat of the moment and apologising for the disruption.
CAF also condemned what it described as "unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials" during the final.
Despite the controversy, Mane revealed he played a key role in convincing teammates to return to the pitch and finish the match, warning that abandoning the game entirely would have sent a damaging message about African football.
The ruling now rewrites the outcome of one of the most dramatic AFCON finals in recent history—transforming Senegal's moment of glory into a regulatory defeat, and handing Morocco a title they narrowly missed on the pitch.
Source - online
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