Morocco speaks out: The rules have been applied and this is fair…

As a reminder, in the final played on January 18, Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time. After their goal was disallowed and Morocco awarded a penalty, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw withdrew the playing field in protest. After a 17-minute break, the Senegalese came back, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Brahim Diaz’s penalty, and Pape Gueye scored in overtime for a big celebration. However, the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) lodged an appeal, and Caf’s appeals commission ruled that Senegal violated articles 82 and 84 of the rules by leaving the field, which is why the match was registered with a score of 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

The Moroccan Football Association welcomed this development, stressing that their goal was never to dispute sports performance, but rather insist on the application of the rules.

“We welcome the decision that confirmed the rules by which international tournaments must be held. Since the end of the final match, we have maintained the same position, which is to apply the rules of football. Now it has been confirmed that the rules were not followed in the match itself. From the beginning, we have been fighting for justice by all possible means in order to maintain the integrity of the competition. Depriving Senegal of the title destroys the credibility of the competition in African football,” they wrote.

As expected, the reaction from Senegal was full of anger. Their football association called the decision “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable”, pointing out that it “discredits African football”. The federation’s general secretary, Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, described it as a “travesty” and a “shame for Africa”, announcing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.