The Senegalese government on Wednesday demanded an “independent international investigation” over alleged corruption after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped the country of its Africa Cup of Nations title and handed it to Morocco.
The dispute arose after several Senegal players walked off the pitch in Rabat during the January 18 final to protest a late penalty awarded to the host nation in second-half stoppage time.
Although the players later returned to the field following persuasion by captain Sadio Mane, Morocco failed to convert the penalty, and Pape Gueye eventually scored in extra time to secure a 1-0 win for Senegal.
However, CAF overturned the result on Tuesday, citing rules regarding teams leaving the field of play.
“By calling into question a result achieved at the end of a match that was properly played and won in accordance with the rules of the game, the CAF seriously undermines its own credibility,” government spokeswoman Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye said in a statement.
“Senegal unequivocally rejects this unjustified attempt at dispossession” she said, while calling for “an independent international investigation into suspected corruption within the CAF’s governing bodies”.
CAF stated that after reviewing Morocco’s appeal, “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.
Faye described the ruling as “a grossly illegal and profoundly unjust decision”.
“Senegal will pursue all appropriate legal avenues, including before the competent international courts, to ensure that justice is served and that the primacy of sporting results is restored”, she said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Senegalese Football Federation announced plans to challenge the decision “as soon as possible” at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said.
