TAS to Review Controversial Africa Cup Final Between Senegal and Morocco
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) has announced that it will hold a hearing on October 8 at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, regarding a complaint from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) against Morocco's Football Association (FRMF) and the African Confederation (CAF). This comes in the wake of a contentious Africa Cup final that took place on January 18, where Senegal initially emerged victorious on the field with a score of 1-0.
The Senegalese Federation is seeking to overturn a decision made by CAF, which declared Senegal the loser of the match due to a default, subsequently awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory. This ruling has sparked significant debate and dissatisfaction among Senegalese supporters and officials alike. The appeal was filed with the TAS on March 25, indicating Senegal's intent to challenge the legitimacy of the CAF's decision.
In its official statement, the TAS noted that the involved parties did not agree to expedite the process, thus the case is following a standard timeline as per its regulations. The date for the hearing was established after consultations with both Senegal and Morocco. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the hearing will not be open to the public, as neither side requested public proceedings.
Following the hearing, the panel will commence its deliberations, although it has been made clear that a final decision will not be announced on the same day as the hearing. The TAS emphasized its awareness of misinformation circulating in the media regarding this case, urging that only information disseminated through TAS channels should be regarded as official. Any updates or announcements related to this matter will be published on the TAS website.
During the critical final match in Rabat, a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time prior to extra time sparked outrage among the Senegalese players, leading to a protest where all but one player, Sadio Mané, left the field in dissent against the decision. This incident has further complicated the narrative surrounding the match and the subsequent appeal.
As reported by diez.bo.
