The Africa Cup title dispute between Senegal and Morocco has taken a significant turn as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne has scheduled a hearing regarding the contentious outcome of the final match. The hearing is set for October 8, where both parties will have the opportunity to present their arguments.
Originally, Senegal emerged victorious from the final on January 18, winning the match 1-0 after extra time. However, following a series of tumultuous events during the game, the African Football Confederation (CAF) later ruled in favor of Morocco, declaring the match a 3-0 victory for the host nation. This decision came after Morocco lodged a formal complaint against Senegal, prompting an appeal by the Senegalese Football Federation.
The CAF's ruling was based on the assertion that Senegal’s players had abandoned the field in protest against a referee's decision late in the regular time, which, according to the governing body, constituted conceding the match. Initially, Senegal's federation was only fined for their actions, but the subsequent appeal led to the current legal proceedings at CAS.
The upcoming CAS hearing will be conducted behind closed doors, and it remains unclear when a final decision will be reached or announced. The CAS has indicated that the results of the hearing will not be disclosed on the same day as the proceedings, leaving both teams and their supporters in suspense regarding the outcome.
As reported by tagesanzeiger.ch.
