On Saturday, players from Senegal showcased the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans, despite the Confederation of African Football’s recent decision to revoke the title and hand it to Morocco.
Prior to a friendly match against Peru at Stade de France, Senegal’s captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates carried the trophy onto the field as part of the opening celebration.
The Senegalese Football Association announced that they would present the AFCON trophy to the fans before the match in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, which has a sizeable Senegalese community.
This week in Paris, the president of the Senegalese FA, Abdoulaye Fall, described Senegal as a victim of “the most grossly unfair administrative robbery” in soccer history and affirmed that they would defend the pride of their players at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
Senegal is formally contesting CAF’s unexpected ruling from last week that stripped them of the title, which they secured in a tumultuous final in January, and awarded it to the host nation, Morocco.
Senegal’s legal representatives assert that the nation still regards itself as Africa’s champion. According to the CAF appeals board, Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final,” transforming their 1-0 extra-time victory into a 3-0 default win for Morocco.
The reasoning behind this decision was that Senegal’s players, along with their coach, had exited the field in protest after a penalty was awarded to Morocco, leading to a 15-minute stoppage.
– Senegal to appeal CAF’s decision to award AFCON title to Morocco
– CAF’s ruling on AFCON title has ‘scarred and blemished’ African football
– Morocco cannot, in clear conscience, claim Senegal’s title after CAF debacle
This week, Senegal filed an appeal with CAS to be reinstated as champions, although no timeline has been established for what is expected to be a lengthy process. The Senegalese government has also demanded an international inquiry into potential corruption within CAF.
Typically, scheduling a hearing at CAS can take months, followed by additional time before a verdict is delivered. However, Senegal’s legal team plans to request an expedited process in hopes that both the Moroccan federation and CAF will agree, allowing the case to be resolved within two months.