Morocco's Triumph in African Football: Legal Perspectives
In a significant legal commentary, French attorney Romain Bézéni, who specializes in business and sports law, has weighed in on the recent ruling by the African Football Confederation (CAF) Appeals Committee, which declared the Moroccan national football team the winner against Senegal with a score of 3-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. This decision was based on violations outlined in articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, which penalized the Senegalese team.
Bézéni, in an interview with the French publication "onzemondial" on March 20, 2026, emphasized that Morocco's title as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champion is firmly grounded in the legal procedures applicable to this competition. He expressed confidence that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) would assess the case based strictly on the regulations rather than emotional reasoning or field outcomes. "I would say there is a 75% chance that CAF's decision will be upheld and Morocco will remain the champion. However, there exists some ambiguity regarding the definition of a team's withdrawal, as, to my knowledge, three Senegalese players did not leave the pitch, as well as the matter of resuming the match which continued to its conclusion. Nevertheless, the strictness of the regulations tends to confirm the withdrawal," he stated.
Bézéni further clarified that the CAS operates as an international judicial body with the same powers as national courts in resolving sports disputes. The court will evaluate the case based on the rules and legal articles governing the competition, ensuring adherence to formal procedures and neutrality towards both parties involved. He noted that once Senegal submits its case to the sports court, along with the requisite fees and within the stipulated appeal deadlines, CAS will specifically examine whether the circumstances surrounding the Senegalese team's withdrawal justify a loss as per articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations.
"CAS does not consider media pressures or emotional impressions, but focuses solely on legal texts and laws. The legal question is whether articles 82 and 84 of the competition law were violated, and all legal indicators suggest that a withdrawal indeed occurred and that Morocco followed the established processes," Bézéni remarked. Regarding Senegal's return to the final match, he concluded, "They left the pitch, and that is that. The fact that they returned after 10 or 20 minutes may be deemed irrelevant by very strict judges."
As reported by kech24.com.
