CAF President Commends Moroccan Restraint
Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), recently conveyed his admiration for the Moroccan government and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) during his visit to Morocco on April 9. His comments came in light of the provocations directed at Morocco by the Senegalese Football Federation, particularly following the contentious events of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final. Motsepe praised Morocco's dignified response, highlighting their choice to refrain from engaging in retaliatory actions amidst the ongoing tensions surrounding the match.
The AFCON final, held in Rabat, was marred by controversy when the Senegalese team temporarily left the pitch in protest against a VAR-assisted penalty awarded to Morocco. While Senegal initially triumphed on the field with a score of 1-0, the outcome was later reversed by CAF, which deemed that Senegal's walk-off constituted a forfeit, resulting in a technical 3-0 victory for Morocco. This decision sparked a swift appeal from the Senegalese Football Federation, which alleged bias in officiating.
Despite the barrage of accusations from Dakar, the Moroccan authorities and Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the FRMF, opted for a stance of silence rather than engaging in a media battle. They maintained that the issue should be addressed through legal channels, specifically the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), a decision that Motsepe has explicitly commended. His visit to Rabat was part of a broader diplomatic effort to ease the escalating tensions, and he reaffirmed that CAF would uphold its legal decisions, resisting any political pressures that might seek to overturn disciplinary actions.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
