The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to reopen the investigation into the controversial events surrounding the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which took place between the host nation Morocco and Senegal. Senegal clinched the championship title in January with a narrow victory, defeating Morocco 1-0. However, the match was marred by chaotic incidents, including the premature exit of several Senegalese players from the field after a penalty was awarded to Morocco in the dying seconds of regular time. These players returned later to finish the match, but the tension escalated to the stands and the press box, where security personnel and organizers struggled to maintain order.
Previously, CAF had imposed a series of sanctions on both teams due to the unsportsmanlike conduct witnessed during the final. The Moroccan Football Federation submitted an official appeal against these sanctions, particularly concerning its players, notably Achraf Hakimi and Ismaïla Sy. According to a report from Moroccan sports site "Al-Batala," CAF's Appeals Committee has agreed to review the appeal. The committee has reached out to the Moroccan federation, requesting new legal documentation that clarifies the basis of their appeal, as part of a reassessment of the events that transpired during the match.
The review process will likely encompass several disciplinary decisions that were made following the match, including the penalties imposed on Moroccan players such as Achraf Hakimi and Ismaïla Sy. The Appeals Committee will continue to scrutinize the documents and information related to the final before announcing its final decision during its next meeting.
The initial sanctions issued after the AFCON 2025 final included a five-match suspension for Senegal's head coach, Pape Thiaw, due to unsportsmanlike behavior, and two-match suspensions for players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr for their inappropriate conduct towards the referee. Additionally, Senegal's football federation faced a fine of $300,000 due to their fans' misconduct, another $300,000 for the unsportsmanlike behavior of its players and coaching staff, and an extra $15,000 for disciplinary issues after five of their players received yellow cards.
In contrast, Morocco's appeal against the Senegalese federation was denied, resulting in a two-match suspension for Achraf Hakimi, which includes one match suspended for a year if he reoffends. Furthermore, Ismaïla Sy received a three-match suspension for his unsportsmanlike conduct, alongside a fine of $100,000. The Moroccan Football Federation was also fined $200,000 for the inappropriate behavior of ball collectors on the pitch, $100,000 for unsportsmanlike behavior by national team players and staff, and an additional $15,000 for the use of laser pointers by Moroccan fans during the match.
As reported by kech24.com.
