File photo: Fans celebrate the victory of the Senegalese team at the Africa Cup of Nations. (AP photo) 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 after a dramatic review of the chaotic final.The decision comes almost two months after Senegal were beaten 1-0 in extra time in Rabat, with CAF ruling that the match will be recorded as a 3-0 defeat by Morocco after upholding an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!CAF said Senegal effectively lost the match after players walked off the field in protest during the closing stages of regular time. The decision was based on Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, which dictate that a team that leaves the field without the referee’s permission is deemed to have lost the match 3–0.Senegalese football authorities reacted furiously, calling the decision “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable” and confirming they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. “The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this decision which damages African football,” the federation said.Morocco, meanwhile, argued that their appeal was strictly procedural. “It was never intended to compete for sporting performance, but only to demand the application of competition rules,” the federation said.
File Pic: Senegalese supporters protest after Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty during the final. (AP photo)
What happened in the chaotic final in RabatThe controversy stems from the extraordinary scenes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on 18 January. The final was still goalless until the end, with referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarding Morocco a late penalty after a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz.The decision caused chaos. Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest and stopped play for 20 minutes while some fans attempted to invade the pitch. Captain Sadio Mane finally convinced his teammates to come back.As the game resumed, Morocco failed to capitalize as Edouard Mendy comfortably saved Diaz’s attempt on the Doll. The game went to extra time where Pape Gueye scored what appeared to be the winning goal.However, a retrospective decision by CAF has now erased that result from the record books.Fallout, sanctions and global responseThe consequences were explosive. Several Senegal players reacted angrily on social media, with defender Moussa Niakhate posting a photo of the trophy with the caption “they are mad”.FIFA president Gianni Infantino had earlier condemned the “unacceptable scenes” and said that leaving the pitch and any form of violence “cannot be tolerated”.CAF has already imposed heavy fines on both federations for misconduct, while legal proceedings against Senegalese supporters accused of hooliganism are ongoing.With Senegal now heading to the sport’s highest legal body, the controversy is far from over as one of African football’s most dramatic finals continues to spark debate around the world.
