In light of the announcement made by the Confédération Africaine de Football (Caf) late Tuesday, which stated that Senegal has been deprived of the African Nations Cup (Afcon) title, the Senegalese Football Federation is determined to contest this decision.
The Senegalese Football Federation has vehemently criticised CAF’s ruling, labelling it as “unfair”, unprecedented, and unacceptable, thereby tarnishing the reputation of African football.
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On Wednesday, the Senegalese Football Federation issued a press statement declaring its intention to escalate the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as it seeks to uphold the rights and interests of Senegalese football.
While reiterating their dedication to integrity and sporting justice and pledging to keep the public informed about any developments, the Senegalese Football Federation characterised Caf’s decision to revoke the Afcon title as a “travesty”.
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, the Secretary General of the Senegalese Football Association, informed the public broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise: “This is a travesty; this decision is based on absolutely nothing. It has no legal foundation. The president of the federation will get in touch with the lawyers. We will engage with the appropriate authorities, and then we will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which will issue the final decision.”
Sow characterised the ruling as a “shame for Africa” and stated, “We will not retreat. The people of Senegal should have no uncertainty. The truth is in favour of Senegal; the law supports Senegal.”
During a preliminary disciplinary hearing, Caf had levied fines exceeding $1 million and imposed bans on players and officials from Senegal and Morocco, yet the outcome remained unchanged.
Reaction from the Senegal players after Caf stripped the Afcon title
Pathé Ismaël Ciss, a professional footballer from Senegal, plays as a central or defensive midfielder for the La Liga club Rayo Vallecano and the Senegalese national team. He was one of the first to respond, sharing a photo with the trophy and including laughing emojis.
Moussa Niakhaté, who serves as a centre-back for the Ligue 1 club Lyon, wrote: “This is not AI. “This is real” on his Instagram story.
Veteran midfielder Idrissa Gueye shared his thoughts on the victory in an Instagram post. He wrote, “Titles, trophies, medals… all of that is fleeting. What truly matters is that every supporter can return home and be with their family. The Senegalese people have shown who they are: dignified in victory, dignified in adversity. That is Teranga. We know what we experienced that night in Rabat. And that, no one can ever take away from us, inch’Allah.”
Defender El Hadji Malick Diouf added, “Some things can’t be bought or sent; they must be earned on the field,” while Ismail Jakobs shared moments from the team’s celebrations.
The captain, Sadio Mané, also shared his disappointment, stating that “This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in.”
He stated that there is too much corruption in the game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent. Players give everything, he said, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies.
“I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect,” he concluded.
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Clearly, the Senegalese players who won this championship in January, despite facing numerous challenges, did not agree with the announcement and ruling from the Caf Appeal Board. However, they continue to hold onto hope, and the Senegalese football association pledges to stand firm as African football finds itself once more under global examination and scrutiny.
How distasteful is this to African football?
Football is determined on the field rather than in boardrooms; this is the fundamental principle of the sport. However, recent rulings by Caf demonstrate that this is not always the case. Even after a two-month period, a match can still be decided, resulting in a new champion being established and the title being taken away from its previous holder. Regardless of whether Caf’s decision was justified, it does not significantly enhance the perception of African football among certain commentators globally, and it further perpetuates negative stereotypes associated with the sport in Africa.
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Many outsiders, including European club coaches, often regard African football, especially the Afcon, as lacking significance. This sentiment is notably echoed by managers like Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, who sparked controversy in 2021 by labelling the Afcon as a “little tournament in Africa in January.” Clearly, his remark was not positively received, although he subsequently explained it was a joke and intended “small matter”; his remarks were broadly perceived as detrimental to the tournament. Former Senegal manager Aliou Cissé vehemently criticised Klopp for his statements.
Despite not holding a managerial position, Jamie Carragher, a former player for Liverpool and a current sports analyst, faced criticism for labelling the Afcon as “not a major tournament” in 2026. This statement provoked a backlash from prominent figures like Mikel Obi and Jay-Jay Okocha.
In the current era of social media, there is widespread outrage and disbelief in response to Caf’s decision. Many fans and commentators have condemned the ruling as a “disgraceful” decision made by the board, asserting that “Afcon is won, not awarded.”
Conversely, there are those who support and celebrate the ruling, defending it by stating that rules must be adhered to and are unequivocal. Some observers point out that Senegal violated the rules by leaving the pitch, which would be unacceptable in any other tournament.
Additionally, some individuals mock the situation, referring to it as a backdoor and boardroom trophy acquisition and accusing Caf President Patrice Motsepe of manipulating the tournament to guarantee a victory for the host nation, Morocco.
During the CBC Sports Golazo (CBS) show on Tuesday night, Nigel Reo-Coker expressed his strong disapproval after Caf awarded Morocco the Afcon title, reversing the outcome of the match that Senegal had won 1-0 two months prior.
“Caf is an embarrassment; I’m of African heritage. I know about the African Cup of Nations,” he said.
He mentioned that he followed Afcon during his childhood and that he is familiar with players who participated in it.
One certainty remains: there has consistently been a stigma associated with the African continent and African football, with the competition often being undervalued by players of African heritage and particularly by European managers.
“It’s a tournament that seems to be a thorn to some European managers who have come out and publicly said that they might not sign African players because they don’t want to lose them for the January window,” he said.
“There have been other players, other managers, top managers who’ve made comments about the African Cup of Nations and being a burden to them as a manager,” Reo-Coker said.
“For me now, when you look at this situation right now, it’s an absolute embarrassment for Caf. It’s another reason where people will talk down on this competition and look down on it and have this negative stigma attached to it,” he commented.
Reo-Coker additionally stated that he could not envision the Moroccan players celebrating a victory achieved in this fashion.
“There’s not one Morocco player, being an ex-player now, that would want to win like that. It might not have gone down the nicest way in how the final played out. It was an embarrassment how the final played out, but even though it was given to Senegal, Senegal won the game.”
Reo-Coker expresses that, in his view, the broader issue is that Caf is a source of embarrassment and that the organisation has humiliated itself for the world and global football to witness once more. This situation provides an opportunity for other football federations worldwide to mock Caf during the African Cup of Nations and to ridicule Africa as a continent due to the manner in which this entire situation has been managed.
