Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has defended the organization’s integrity after Senegal were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title. The decision sparked outrage, with Senegal calling for an international investigation into the alleged corruption.
Senegal’s 1-0 overtime was overturned by the CAF Appeals Committee over Morocco and ruled that Senegal lost the final after he left the field during the match. Responding to the backlash, Motsepe said the governing body’s processes remain independent and transparent.
Read the full article
“The CAF Disciplinary Committee took one decision. The CAF Appeals Committee took a completely different stance,” Motsepe said.
“And I was told that Senegal will appeal, which is very important. We will follow and respect the decisions that were taken at the highest level,” he added.
Motsepe also defended the credibility of CAF’s judiciary, stressing that experienced professionals are part of the decision-making process.
“If you look at the composition of these bodies, they reflect some of the most respected lawyers and judges on the continent,” he said.
“They are people who are of integrity and have a good track record. The independence is reflected in the decisions taken by the two bodies,” he added.
WHY WAS SENEGAL ANNULLED AFCON TITLE?
The controversy stems from the chaotic AFCON 2026 final played in Rabat on 18 January.
During the closing stages of the match, Morocco were awarded a crucial penalty decision, prompting Senegal’s players to walk off the pitch in protest. Play was suspended for about 14 minutes before Senegal returned to resume play.
Despite the disruption, Senegal won the match 1–0 in extra time, with Papa Gueye scoring the decisive goal after Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed a penalty after the restart.
However, CAF later ruled that Senegal’s withdrawal was tantamount to a forfeit, leading to the result being overturned and Morocco claiming a 3–0 victory and the title.
The incident was further complicated by crowd trouble and clashes, which CAF said damaged the image of African football.
The Senegalese Football Federation rejected the decision and confirmed plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to overturn the decision.
The controversy also drew strong reactions from players, p Senegal striker Sadio Mane criticized the decision and raising concerns about governance in African football.
With the case now likely heading to CAS, the final chapter in this dispute is yet to be written.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
March 19, 2026 1:40 PM IST
