The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne began a decisive hearing on Thursday regarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal. The court is considering an appeal by the Senegalese Football Federation against the CAF Appeals Committee decision that awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory and the title last March.
Case Details
The dispute stems from events during the final held in Rabat on 18 January 2025. Protesting referee decisions, Senegalese players left the pitch for approximately 15 minutes before returning to complete the match, which they won 1-0 in extra time on the field. The CAF Appeals Committee's ruling, based on Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations, deemed the walk-off a forfeit. The Senegalese Football Federation stated previously: "We consider the decision to be an unjust administrative ruling that does not reflect the actual result on the pitch." The Senegalese government has also called for an international investigation into alleged corruption within CAF.
Proceedings and Possible Outcomes
The CAS panel comprises three European arbitrators chaired by French professor Gerald Simon. The hearing is being conducted in French, with a final ruling expected after several days or possibly weeks. The court has the authority to uphold the CAF decision and confirm Morocco's title, overturn it and award the title to Senegal, or refer the case back to the original body. This development comes as the Moroccan national team maintains strong form, with three wins and one draw in its last five matches, including a 3-0 victory over Canada in July. Either party retains the right to appeal the CAS decision to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the highest judicial authority in Switzerland. The hearing in Lausanne continues with representatives from the Moroccan and Senegalese federations and the Confederation of African Football in attendance.
The original report is at المصري اليوم
