Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Senegal has appeared before the Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary committee following a complaint lodged after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, with a verdict expected within 48 hours.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) confirmed that the hearing took place on Tuesday via videoconference, beginning at around 3:00 p.m. in Cairo (1:00 p.m. in Dakar). The session was chaired by Jane Njeri Onyango of Kenya, vice-president of CAF’s disciplinary committee.
The proceedings stem from a petition by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, which accused members of the Senegal team of breaching CAF’s disciplinary code, notably Articles 82 and 83, during the final.
Moroccan officials allege that Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw and players Ismaila Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye encouraged teammates to temporarily leave the pitch, an act they argue amounted to misconduct and abandonment of play.
Senegal’s Defense: Match Was Completed and Result Ratified
Under Article 82 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, a team that refuses to continue a match or definitively leaves the field can be deemed to have abandoned the game.
However, Senegal’s defense centered on what legal experts described as a decisive mitigating factor: the team returned to the pitch, and the match was completed to its regulatory end.
Senegal’s representatives argued that while the temporary withdrawal could constitute a behavioral fault punishable by a fine, it does not justify the most severe sanction, forfeiture of the match, since play resumed with the referee’s approval.
The final whistle was blown, and the trophy presentation took place, formally validating the sporting result.
They stressed that overturning a match result after an official ceremony is extremely rare in modern football, occurring only in exceptional cases such as proven doping or corruption, none of which were raised in Morocco’s complaint.
Referee Authority and the ‘Truth of the Field’
A central pillar of Senegal’s argument was the authority of the referee under Law 5 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game.
Senegal contended that if Article 82 were to apply strictly, the referee should have definitively ended the match at the moment of the players’ withdrawal. Instead, the referee authorized the resumption of play, thereby validating the continuity of the match.
FIFA regulations further state that decisions taken by the referee on the field are final. Senegal’s legal team argued that once the referee allowed the match to continue and end normally, the sporting result must prevail, a principle often referred to as the “truth of the field.”
Legal experts cited during the hearing maintained that CAF has no legal basis to withdraw the trophy once the match has ended and the result ratified, describing such a move as incompatible with the principle of stability of competitions.
Security Concerns and Possible Sanctions
Senegal also invoked Article 16 of the AFCON regulations, which places responsibility for security on the host nation, Morocco.
The defense argued that the brief withdrawal was partly motivated by security concerns, citing the aggressiveness of stewards and ball boys in addition to what they described as serious refereeing inconsistencies that threatened the integrity of the match.
They further noted that some Senegalese players remained on or near the pitch, demonstrating that there was no unanimous or definitive intention to abandon the match, but rather a protest linked to safety and fairness concerns.
According to the defense, any sanctions arising from the incident should be intermediate in nature, such as fines against the federation or possible suspensions for individuals deemed responsible for ordering the temporary withdrawal, rather than sporting sanctions affecting the result.
Senegal’s case was presented by FSF Secretary General Abdoulaye Saydou Sow and lawyer Me Seydou Diagne.
While Senegal could face financial penalties for the manner of its protest, officials remain confident that the AFCON title and medals will remain in Dakar as CAF deliberates on its final decision.
