Senegal government accuses corruption in decision to hand AFCON title to Morocco | Football news

The AFCON trophy was stripped of the Senegal team players’ mid-final protest following a review by an appeals board from CAF.

Senegal’s government has called for an “independent international investigation” into corruption following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip the country of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco.

CAF’s decision came after a review by their appeals board for the chaotic final two months ago.

The ruling said Senegal had “declared missed” the final 1-0 win after extra time by leaving the field of play in normal time in protest 14 minutes into the awarding of a penalty to Morocco – which they missed when play resumed.

It said the result was now “officially recorded as 3-0” in favor of host nation Morocco.

“By calling into question the result achieved at the end of a match that was properly played and won in accordance with the rules of the game, CAF seriously undermines its own credibility,” Senegalese government spokeswoman Marie Rose Khadi Fatou Faye said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Senegal unequivocally rejects this illegitimate attempt to divest,” he said, calling for “an independent international investigation into suspected corruption in CAF’s governing bodies.”

CAF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from news agency Reuters.

Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko weighed in on the fallout from the final as he followed his country’s football federation in condemning Morocco’s jailing of 18 Senegalese fans after violence erupted during a pitch invasion during player protests at the final in Rabat on January 18.

Of the February sentence, which spanned three months to a year and included a fine, he told the Senegalese parliament: “This matter seems to have gone beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable.

“For two countries that call each other friends like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.”

The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) said on Wednesday it would appeal CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which casts a shadow over African football,” it said in a statement.

“To protect its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the federation will initiate an appeal as soon as possible to the Court of Arbitration in Lausanne.”

It can take up to a year for a court to rule on such a challenge.