The Confederation of African Football’s Appeal Board recently ruled that Senegal flouted the continent’s top football governing body regulations by leaving the pitch before the end of the game; hence, they have forfeited the game. The board awarded the game to Morocco with the standard 3-0 scoreline in favour of Senegal, indicating that the AFCON trophy was no longer Senegal’s.
In the board’s ruling, the issue of the trophy wasn’t expressly mentioned; recall that the Senegalese head coach, Pape Thiaw, asked his players to leave the pitch of play, but Sadio Mane intervened, making the team return to play after Brahim Diaz missed a penalty and Pape Gueye scored toward extra time to become Africa’s champions.
Meanwhile, the president of the Federation of Senegal Football has vehemently refused to relinquish the trophy, saying the fight against the ruling is far from over. Abdoulaye Sow says the nation has the right and victory is on its side, adding that the cup will not leave the country.
In the same vein, the president of the country, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has backed the federation, adding that every support will be put in place to overturn the ruling of the CAF appeal board decision.
