Senegal defy CAF, plans AFCON trophy parade

Senegal have announced plans to display the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy ahead of their international friendly against Peru in Paris on Saturday, as football authorities in the country intensify efforts to overturn the decision stripping them of the title.

The Lions of Teranga secured what was believed to be their second AFCON triumph on 18 January after defeating hosts Morocco 1-0 in extra time. The final, however, ended in controversy after Senegalese players left the pitch when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the game still goalless.

In a dramatic turn last week, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed the outcome of the match, handing Morocco a 3-0 victory instead.

Senegal have since challenged that ruling, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirming on Tuesday that it had received the appeal and would deliver a verdict “as swiftly as possible”.

“Faced with what amounts to the most blatant and unprecedented administrative robbery in the history of our sport, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) refuses to accept this as inevitable,” FSF president Abdoulaye Fall said at a media conference in the French capital.

Moments before his remarks, the federation had published a schedule of activities for Saturday’s match at the Stade de France, which included a planned trophy parade.

“Senegal will not bend the knee and will not compromise its values,” added Fall. “Our fight now transcends the football pitch.”

Following the disputed final in Rabat — where Morocco and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz failed to convert a Panenka penalty in the 114th minute — the Royal Moroccan Football Federation promptly filed a protest with both CAF and FIFA. The complaint argued that Senegal’s decision to leave the field “greatly affected the normal course of the match and the players’ morale”.

CAF’s disciplinary committee initially dismissed the protest and instead imposed sanctions on both teams, including a five-match suspension for Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw on 29 January.

However, the Moroccan federation maintained that the sanctions did not “reflect the seriousness of the incidents”, prompting a review by CAF’s appeal board. On 17 March, the board ruled that Senegal had breached articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations.

Article 82 stipulates that any team that “leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee” will be disqualified.