The African Cup of Nations went to Morocco two months after the final // Photo: afp.com.
The Senegalese team won that match with a score of 1-0. At the very end of the main time, the Senegalese staged a demarche, disagreeing with the penalty kick awarded against them. The Moroccan soccer authorities considered this a gross violation of the tournament regulations, CAF agreed and took the unprecedented decision to strip the winners of the tournament trophy.
Without “gold” and with a technical defeat
The CAF Appeals Committee deprived the Senegalese team of the gold medals, which go to the Moroccans. Formally, the Senegalese should be awarded silver medals, but the decision has not yet been made.
In the official protocol of the match Post Factum recorded a technical defeat of Senegal with a score of 0:3. The Senegalese soccer federation called the decision “an unprecedented, illegal and deeply unfair decision based on an obviously wrong interpretation of the regulations”.
Senegal intend to appeal CAF’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. They can do so within 10 days of the ruling.
Stormy ending
The Africa Cup of Nations was hosted by Morocco earlier this year, with the final match in Rabat for the final match. At the end of the match with the score 0:0 in the gate of the national team of Senegal was appointed a penalty kick. The players and the coaching staff left the field in protest. After 15 minutes they returned, was executed a penalty kick, which was parried by Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The match went into extra time. The seemingly winning goal against Morocco was scored by midfielder Pap Gueye.
The events on the pitch were accompanied by strong reactions of fans in the stands, clashes between players and even fights between journalists from Morocco and Senegal, covering the game of their national teams.
Fines in addition!
The Senegalese Football Federation was fined $615 thousand by CAF for the behavior of fans, unsportsmanlike behavior of players, coaching staff and receiving five yellow cards during the match.
The national team’s head coach, Pap Tiaw, was fined $100k and suspended for five matches in CAF-run tournaments. Tiaw took the national team to the stadium in the eighth minute of the second half, and the players were returned to the field by captain Sadio Mane.
Two more Senegalese players – Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr – are suspended for two matches for unsportsmanlike behavior towards the referee.
What happens next?
The Court of Arbitration for Sport can hear the case for up to six months. Until the final decision of the court, the winner of the tournament is the Moroccan national team.
At the same time, the Senegalese authorities called for an independent international investigation into the CAF decision. They also suggested that the reason lies in the corruption of the organization’s functionaries.
