Kamal Ghorui
In a stunning development that has rocked the football world, Senegal have been stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) declaring Morocco champions following a dramatic review of the chaotic final.The decision comes nearly two months after Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time victory in Rabat, with CAF ruling that the match be recorded as a 3-0 forfeit win for Morocco after upholding an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!CAF stated that Senegal had effectively forfeited the match after players walked off the pitch in protest during the closing stages of regulation time. The ruling was based on Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations, which mandate that a team leaving the field without the referee’s permission is deemed to have lost the match 3-0.Senegal’s football authorities have reacted furiously, calling the decision “unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable,” and confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. “The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” the federation said.Morocco, meanwhile, maintained that their appeal was strictly procedural. “It was never intended to contest sporting performance, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations,” the federation said.
File Pic: Senegal supporters protest after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco during the final. (AP Photo)
What happened in the chaotic final in RabatThe controversy stems from extraordinary scenes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on January 18. With the final still goalless deep into stoppage time, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a late penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.The decision sparked chaos. Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest, halting the game for nearly 20 minutes, while some supporters attempted a pitch invasion. Captain Sadio Mane eventually persuaded his teammates to return.When play resumed, Morocco failed to capitalise as Edouard Mendy comfortably saved Diaz’s attempted Panenka. The match went to extra time, where Pape Gueye scored what appeared to be the winning goal.However, CAF’s retrospective ruling has now wiped that result from the record books.Fallout, sanctions and global reactionThe aftermath has been explosive. Several Senegal players reacted angrily on social media, with defender Moussa Niakhate posting a photo with the trophy captioned “they’re mad.”FIFA president Gianni Infantino had earlier condemned the “unacceptable scenes,” stating that leaving the field and any form of violence “cannot be tolerated.”CAF had already imposed heavy fines on both federations for misconduct, while legal proceedings involving Senegalese supporters accused of hooliganism are ongoing.With Senegal now heading to sport’s highest legal body, the controversy is far from over, as one of African football’s most dramatic finals continues to spark debate across the globe.
