The controversy continues to spark strong reactions following the Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary jury's decision to strip Senegal of its 2025 AFCON title in favor of Morocco. The governing body of African football justifies its decision by applying Articles 82 and 84 of the regulations, following the brief interruption of the final by Senegalese players to protest a refereeing decision.
USM Alger coach Lamine Ndiaye did not mince his words in the face of this situation, which he describes as "scandalous." At a press conference before a CAF Cup match against Maniema Union, he expressed his disagreement: "It's simply ridiculous. Since Issa Hayatou is no longer there, the CAF is nonsense. It's disheartening. Africans don't deserve this".
Ndiaye went on to deplore the lack of respect for African football and criticize the current governance of CAF: "The problems started with Ahmed, Issa Hayatou's successor… Today, the meetings are no longer held in Cairo. That says it all. It's unfortunate. We don't deserve this". He concluded by expressing his hope that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) would restore the situation, stressing that otherwise, organizing competitions would no longer make sense.
The CAF's decision has provoked a wave of indignation, both in Senegal and across the continent. The Senegalese government denounced a decision that was "unprecedented and exceptionally serious," based on an erroneous interpretation of the regulations. The Senegalese Football Federation announced its intention to appeal to CAS, calling the decision "unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable".
Several figures in the world of football have also expressed their disagreement. Augustin Senghor, a member of the CAF executive committee and former president of the Senegalese federation, described the decision as "abject" and called for it to be denounced. Senegalese players, such as Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye, have expressed their outrage on social media.
The case has taken a legal turn, with the Senegalese Football Federation mobilizing its resources to challenge the decision before CAS. Omar Diagne, Secretary General of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee, assured that everything would be done to ensure that "victory returns to Senegal". In the meantime, the controversy continues to grow, raising questions about the governance and integrity of African football.
