The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has pledged to expedite proceedings in the appeal filed by Senegal following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip the country of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award the trophy to Morocco.
CAS confirmed that the Senegalese Football Federation has formally submitted an appeal challenging CAF’s ruling, which declared Morocco winners of the tournament almost two months after the final had been played.
CAF announced on March 17 that Senegal had forfeited the match after their players briefly walked off the pitch in protest during the final. The ruling awarded Morocco a 3–0 victory and ended the hosts’ 49-year wait for a second AFCON title.
The final, held on January 18, had originally ended with Senegal defeating Morocco 1–0 after extra time.
The controversy erupted deep into stoppage time when the referee awarded Morocco a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz. Senegal players protested the decision and also complained about a late goal that had been ruled out, leading to a brief walk-off that halted the match for about 17 minutes.
Following appeals from captain Sadio Mane, the Senegalese players returned to the pitch and the match resumed. Diaz’s Panenka-style penalty was saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Pape Gueye later scored in extra time to seal what appeared to be a dramatic victory for Senegal.
However, CAF later determined that Senegal had violated Article 82 of the tournament regulations, which states that a team that refuses to continue play or leaves the field without the referee’s permission is deemed to have lost the match.
Article 84 of the same regulations provides that such an infraction results in the offending team forfeiting the match by a 3–0 scoreline.
In response, Senegal lodged an appeal at CAS seeking to overturn the decision and restore the original result of the final.
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said an independent panel of arbitrators would be constituted to hear the case.
“CAS has extensive experience in resolving disputes of this nature through the work of independent and expert arbitrators,” Reeb said.
“We recognise the strong interest from teams and supporters in the outcome, and the proceedings will be handled as quickly as possible while ensuring that all parties receive a fair hearing.”
Under CAS procedures, Senegal has 20 days to file its detailed legal submissions, while CAF will be given a further 20 days to respond.
Senegal’s government has strongly criticised the ruling, describing it as a violation of sporting fairness and ethics. The country’s football federation also labelled the decision “unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable,” warning that it had tarnished the reputation of African football.
Morocco’s football authorities, however, have backed CAF’s ruling, insisting that the enforcement of tournament regulations was necessary and that their position does not diminish Senegal’s performance during the match.
The dispute has sparked widespread debate across the football community, with fans and pundits questioning the decision to revise the result of a continental final long after the game had concluded.
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