CAF Executive Condemns "Abject" Decision to Strip Senegal of AFCON Title

A senior member of African football's governing body has delivered a scathing criticism of the decision to strip Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, calling the ruling "abject" and demanding it be overturned through legal action.

Augustin Senghor, a CAF executive committee member and former head of the Senegalese Football Federation, expressed outrage over the Confederation of African Football's decision to award Morocco the championship despite Senegal's 1-0 victory in January's final.

The controversy stems from incidents during the final when Senegal's players walked off the pitch in protest after hosts Morocco were awarded a controversial stoppage-time penalty. Following a 17-minute delay, play resumed with Brahim Diaz's penalty being saved, and the match proceeded to extra time where Senegal's Pape Gueye scored the decisive winner.

However, after an appeal by the Moroccan Football Association, CAF ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the field, officially recording the result as 3-0 in favor of Morocco and awarding them the continental title.

"In a situation like this, we have to fight against injustice," Senghor told BBC World Service's Newsday program. "Football is fair play, football is played on the field, not in offices. What happened with CAF was unacceptable."

Senghor expressed particular frustration with what he characterized as a violation of established football regulations. "When you see a committee taking such a decision in violation of our rules, in violation of the FIFA laws of the game, to take the trophy and give it to Morocco, I think it is something very abject. We have to denounce it."

The CAF executive believes external pressure influenced the controversial decision, stating his confidence that an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport would vindicate Senegal's position. "Senegal will fight because what happened is happening for the first time in the story of African football, in world football," he declared.

Senegalese Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall confirmed the organization's intention to pursue legal action, describing the ruling as "unfair, unprecedented and incomprehensible." Fall expressed confidence in the legal merits of their case, asserting that "from a legal standpoint, Senegal cannot lose this title."

Moroccan officials defended the decision, with the FRMF stating that the CAF verdict "upholds respect for rules that are necessary for the proper functioning of international competition." The statement emphasized that the ruling helps establish consistent frameworks for future similar situations in African football.

Newly appointed Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who replaced Walid Regragui earlier this month, characterized the title as "well-deserved" while focusing attention on upcoming World Cup preparations.

CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe defended the decision on Wednesday, arguing that the final's incidents undermined important principles of "integrity, respect, ethics, governance, as well as credibility" in African football. Motsepe emphasized that no African nation would receive preferential treatment over others.

Former international coach Claude le Roy joined the criticism, directing blame toward both CAF leadership and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. "For a long time with CAF, there is nobody of high quality driving this confederation and they are under control of Mr Infantino," le Roy told BBC Newsday.

The veteran coach lamented the controversy's impact on what he considered "the most beautiful Africa Cup of Nations in history," stating that the decision "killed all the spirit of this so beautiful AFCON in Morocco."

The dispute has created significant tension within African football governance, with legal proceedings potentially determining the ultimate resolution of this unprecedented championship controversy.