Morocco Declared Winners of Africa Cup After Controversial Final
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that Morocco is the new champion of the Africa Cup of Nations, following a significant ruling that disqualified Senegal from the tournament. In a statement released by the CAF, it was confirmed that Senegal, which had previously lifted the trophy on Moroccan soil, had abandoned the final match prematurely due to disputes regarding officiating decisions. Consequently, the official result has been amended to a 3-0 victory in favor of Morocco, the host nation of the continental tournament.
Through its Appeals Board, the CAF declared on Tuesday that the Senegalese men's national team was "guilty of losing by default" in the final match held on January 18, after they left the field and threatened not to return as a form of protest against a controversial penalty. The CAF's website detailed that, "pursuant to Article 84 of the Regulations, the Senegal national team has been found guilty of losing the final match by default [...], with the match result officially recorded as 3-0 in favor of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF)." This decision overturned the previous ruling by the CAF's Disciplinary Committee.
In its ruling, the Appeals Board assessed the appeal lodged by the FRMF following the controversial conclusion of the final, during which Brahim Díaz missed a crucial penalty kick, executed in a Panenka style, that did not prevent an extension of the game where Pape Gueye scored a remarkable goal to secure the trophy for Senegal, extending Morocco's drought in the tournament despite being the host.
The statement emphasized that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), through the actions of its team, violated Article 82 of the Regulations, leading to the match being declared lost by default. Additionally, the Appeals Board concluded that the FRMF was "responsible for the conduct of the ball boys" who disrupted the match during critical moments, resulting in a fine of $50,000 for the Moroccan federation.
Moreover, the CAF imposed a $100,000 fine for interference in the VAR review area and an additional $10,000 penalty for a laser incident that affected the final minutes of regulation time and led to extra time. This decision marks a significant moment in African football, reshaping the outcome of a tournament that garnered widespread attention.
As reported by 20minutos.es.
