CAF Annuls Senegal's Victory and Awards AFCON Title to Morocco
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially designated Morocco as the winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following the annulment of Senegal's prior victory. This decision comes after Senegal's players exited the stadium during the final match, which sparked considerable controversy and led to a lengthy interruption of approximately 17 minutes before the game resumed. During this tumultuous period, Senegal's Pape Gueye managed to score an extra-time goal, seemingly securing the win for his team prior to the CAF's ruling.
In a statement released by CAF, it was noted that Senegal had effectively "surrendered the final match," and thus the governing body declared a 3-0 victory in favor of Morocco. This ruling followed an appeal made by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which CAF deemed acceptable in form and subsequently upheld. The governing body cited Senegal's conduct as a violation of Article 82 of the AFCON regulations, which states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee's authorization, they will be considered the losers of the match. Furthermore, Article 84 stipulates that any team infringing upon Article 82 faces permanent elimination and an automatic 3-0 loss.
Details of the Controversial Final
The final match between Morocco and Senegal was marred by chaos in its closing minutes, particularly after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco for a foul on Brahim Diaz. This contentious decision led to the Senegalese players boycotting the game and temporarily leaving the field, which resulted in a 17-minute delay. Despite efforts from prominent players like Sadio Mane, who urged his teammates to return to the pitch, the tension persisted.
During this critical moment, Youssef En-Nesyri, the designated penalty taker, opted to pass the ball to Brahim Diaz, who had already scored five goals in the tournament. However, Diaz's attempt at a Panenka-style penalty was thwarted by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, leaving the door open for Senegal to later claim victory with a goal from Pape Gueye in extra time. Yet, the aftermath of the match prompted CAF to review footage of the events that transpired, condemning the actions of certain players and officials who contributed to the chaos. CAF asserted that they do not tolerate behavior targeting referees or match organizers and promised to take appropriate action against those found guilty.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was present at the match, also condemned the actions of some Senegalese players, labeling their behavior as unacceptable and emphasizing that such displays of dissent have no place in sports. He stated that leaving the pitch in such a manner is intolerable, reinforcing that violence and disorder have no part in the game.
As reported by bbc.com.
