The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the title of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to Morocco following a controversial decision by its appeal jury. This decision follows a complaint filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) regarding incidents that occurred during the final against Senegal.
The CAF appeal jury, chaired by Nigerian Roli Daibo Harriman, overturned the initial decision of the disciplinary jury and considered that the behavior of the Senegalese team fell under articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations. These articles concern misconduct and match forfeiture. The appeal jury ruled that the Senegalese team had left the field in protest against a refereeing decision, which constitutes a violation of the regulations. As a result, the jury awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) reacted strongly to this decision, calling it "unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable". The FSF announced that it would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, to challenge the decision of the CAF appeal jury. The FSF believes that the appeal jury's decision undermines the integrity of African football.
According to CAF, the FRMF's appeal was admissible and Senegal's behavior constituted a violation of tournament regulations. CAF also reviewed individual and team sanctions. The suspension of Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was reduced and the $100,000 fine was canceled. The FRMF was held responsible for the conduct of ball boys and fined $50,000. An appeal regarding interference with the VAR review area was rejected, confirming a $100,000 fine against the FRMF.
The decision of the CAF appeal jury has sparked strong criticism and controversy. Observers have questioned the fairness and credibility of CAF's decision-making process. The decision has also raised questions about the potential influence of the host organization, Morocco, on the outcome of the competition.
The exact composition of the CAF appeal jury is not specified in the original article, but it is mentioned that the president is Nigerian Roli Daibo Harriman and the vice-president is Cape Verdean Faustino Varela Monteiro. The jury is made up of members of different nationalities.
CAF's decision to award the victory to Morocco has highlighted the challenges of governance and transparency within the organization. Senegal's appeal to CAS could potentially redefine how similar disputes are handled in African competitions.
