A member of the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee, Augustin Senghor, has strongly criticised the decision to strip Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, describing it as a grave injustice that must be challenged.
Speaking on the BBC World Service’s Newsday, Senghor did not hold back, insisting that the ruling undermines the core principles of football.
According to him, the outcome of matches should be decided on the pitch, not through administrative intervention.
The controversy stems from the AFCON final in January, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time.
However, the game was marred by a late incident when Moroccan hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, prompting Senegal’s players to briefly leave the field in protest.
Although play resumed after a delay and the penalty was missed, CAF later ruled that the walk-off constituted a forfeiture, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory after an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
Reacting to the decision, Senghor argued that it contradicts both CAF regulations and FIFA’s laws of the game.
He suggested that external pressure may have influenced the outcome and stressed that such a precedent is unprecedented in both African and global football.
He further expressed confidence that Senegal would overturn the ruling if the case is taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, maintaining that the trophy rightfully belongs to the West African nation.
While Moroccan authorities have defended the verdict as necessary for upholding discipline and consistency in international competitions, Senghor’s remarks highlight growing discontent within African football circles over the handling of the case.
Senegal’s football leadership has already confirmed plans to challenge the ruling, setting the stage for a potentially landmark legal battle that could redefine how disciplinary matters are handled in the sport.
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