Senegal Refuse To Let Go Of AFCON Symbolically
Senegal plan to parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy before Saturday’s friendly against Peru in Paris, in a bold show of defiance after CAF stripped them of the title last week.
The trophy will reportedly be presented before kick-off at the Stade de France. That move comes despite CAF’s decision to overturn Senegal’s 1-0 final win over Morocco and award the hosts a 3-0 victory instead.
FSF Launches What It Calls A “Crusade”
Senegal Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall made the country’s position clear during a media briefing in Paris.
He said the federation would not accept what he described as “the most blatant and unprecedented administrative robbery” in the history of the sport. He also vowed that Senegal would pursue a full legal and moral battle against the decision.
Fall added that Senegal would not “bend the knee” and would not compromise its values, while legal representatives standing beside him insisted the federation would challenge the ruling aggressively.
Why CAF Took The Title Away
The dispute comes from the chaotic AFCON final played on January 18 in Rabat.
With the score still goalless late in stoppage time, Morocco were awarded a penalty. Senegal’s players then walked off the pitch in protest before later returning to continue the match. Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal eventually won 1-0 after extra time through Pape Gueye.
However, CAF’s Appeal Board later ruled that Senegal had breached competition rules. The body cited Articles 82 and 84, which deal with leaving the field of play without authorisation and forfeiture. It then declared the match forfeited and recorded it as a 3-0 win for Morocco.
CAS Now Holds The Final Word
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has now officially received Senegal’s appeal.
CAS confirmed this week that it has opened the process and will handle the case as quickly as possible. Senegal want the ruling annulled and the original result restored. However, until CAS gives its verdict, CAF’s decision remains the official one.
One of Senegal’s lawyers, Seydou Diagne, described the CAF ruling as “blatant” and “irrational,” while fellow legal representative Juan Perez said the idea of “administratively re-refereeing” a completed match was unprecedented.
Paris Parade Raises Stakes Before Peru Friendly
By choosing to parade the trophy publicly in Paris, Senegal are making more than a symbolic statement.
The move shows they still consider themselves the rightful champions and intend to keep that position in the public eye while the legal battle unfolds. As a result, Saturday’s friendly against Peru now carries extra emotional and political weight beyond the football itself.
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