The Legal Battle Over the AFCON 2025 Final
The contentious dispute between Senegal and Morocco regarding the final of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 remains unresolved several months after the match concluded. Following a defeat on the field against Senegal, Morocco subsequently won a ruling from the Appeals Jury of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which declared the Atlas Lions the winners of the tournament, stripping Senegal of their title. This controversial decision has been challenged by Senegal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), has firmly reiterated Morocco's stance on the matter. In a recent interview with _Jeune Afrique_, he emphasized that the events during the final constituted a breach of football regulations. He stated, "We remain true to our culture as the kingdom of Morocco, which is to be lawful. We respect the law; we do not influence or impact decisions through marginal controversies that, in any case, will not affect the outcomes. Obviously, we believe that the rules of football and the legal principles of a match were violated by our opponent. Whether Senegal or any other team is contesting, the most important thing is acknowledging a deviation from the established rules of football practice."
Lekjaa specifically pointed out the withdrawal of Senegalese players from the pitch after a penalty was awarded to Morocco in the dying minutes of the match, arguing that this interruption could not go unpunished. He also referenced a recent change in FIFA regulations regarding players who voluntarily leave the field during a match, noting, "Indeed, FIFA changed its rules right after this event to state that a player leaving the pitch is penalized with a red card. This reinforces our position. We cannot have pauses of 15, 20, or 30 minutes during a match; that is not football, it has never been football, and it will never be football. We have advocated and will continue to advocate for the restoration of this principle, beyond the stakes of this match; in any case, the law—at the CAF level—has vindicated us: we are the African champions."
Anticipating the Next Steps
However, the upcoming meeting at the CAS on October 8 will not mark the conclusive moment in this legal saga. Despite earlier indications that this date would be pivotal, Lekjaa confirmed that no decision will be rendered at that time. Instead, an initial meeting is set to take place, followed by further discussions among the involved parties. Lekjaa made it clear, "On October 8, there will be the first CAS meeting. This will not be the last. Therefore, there will be no decision on that day. Since you have spoken on behalf of the Moroccans, they should be aware of this situation. There will be additional meetings, but the final decision will come. And of course, being purely lawful, we do not believe that the law will deviate from this overarching logic." Thus, both Senegal and Morocco will have to wait longer to learn the final verdict of this legal dispute.
As reported by football.fr.
