Moroccan Court Confirms Sentences for Senegalese Fans Involved in CAN 2025 Final Incident
In a significant ruling, the Moroccan judiciary has upheld the prison sentences for 18 Senegalese supporters convicted of participating in violent incidents during the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 2025 final held on January 18. The supporters received sentences ranging from three months to one year in prison, with charges including hooliganism, which encompassed acts of violence against law enforcement, damage to sports facilities, and pitch invasion. The court's decision followed a request from the public prosecutor to increase the sentences imposed during the initial ruling, which were ultimately confirmed by the judges.
Initially, nine of the accused were sentenced to one year of imprisonment along with a fine of 5,000 dirhams (approximately 460 euros), six others received six months and a 2,000 dirham fine (about 180 euros), while the remaining three were sentenced to three months and a 1,000 dirham fine (about 90 euros). Additionally, a French national of Algerian descent, who was convicted for throwing a water bottle, was also sentenced to three months in prison and fined 1,000 dirhams. Those sentenced to three months of imprisonment are eligible for release starting next Saturday.
Defense Claims Innocence Amidst Crowd Chaos
During the court proceedings, the Senegalese supporters maintained their innocence, asserting that they entered the pitch not out of protest against a referee's decision but rather due to a chaotic crowd surge and to evade projectiles being thrown at them. Their attorney, Me Patrick Kabou, expressed to the media that the prosecution failed to provide substantial evidence to support the allegations against his clients. Furthermore, the defense requested the release of video footage of the incidents to ascertain whether the accused could be identified, a request the prosecution opposed, citing the overwhelming evidence presented during the live broadcast of the events.
As part of the ongoing legal complexities surrounding the incident, Senegal has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne against the African Football Confederation's decision to award the 2025 CAN tournament to Morocco. This ruling not only highlights the tensions between Senegal and Morocco but also raises questions about the treatment of supporters in international sporting events.
As reported by jeuneafrique.com.
