CAF President Defends Against Corruption Allegations
Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has strongly defended the organization following the revocation of Senegal's Africa Cup title amid allegations of corruption. In a video message posted on the association's website, Motsepe asserted, "No single country in Africa will be favored or treated more favorably than another on the continent." He emphasized that the events surrounding the final held in Morocco are taken "very, very seriously."
The controversy erupted in the dying moments of the final when a penalty kick was awarded, leading to chaos both on the field and in the stands. The Senegalese team protested by nearly leaving the pitch, only to return later. Consequently, the CAF Appeals Court stripped Senegal of their title, awarded after a hard-fought victory against Morocco (1-0 after extra time), and granted it to the host nation.
Repercussions and Future Actions
In response to the CAF's decision, the Senegalese government has called for corruption investigations against the organization and announced plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Motsepe stated, "We will respect the decision made at the highest level." He further expressed concern that the incidents surrounding the final represent a setback for African football, stating, "What happened in this final undermines the good work that CAF has done over many years to ensure integrity, respect, ethical standards, good governance, and the credibility of the results of our football matches."
Motsepe added that the ongoing suspicions are rooted in a legacy issue that has persisted for many years, indicating that the CAF is continuously addressing these challenges as they are crucial to the sport's integrity. The Appeals Court justified its decision based on Article 82 of the Africa Cup regulations, which stipulates that Senegal's team forfeited the match by leaving the pitch. According to Article 84, the result was recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.
As reported by krone.at.
