Decision to strip Senegal of Afcon title has left me gobsmacked and others in Africa furious

"As a person who was on the appeals board for six years I know that it does not have the power to change the on-field decision of a referee. I cannot understand how they came to this disgraceful decision. It has also left members of the Caf executive committee furious, knowing that point 5.2 of the laws of the game makes it clear that the decisions of a referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final."

"We cannot correct a mistake by making another mistake. Correcting one injustice with another cannot be considered an acceptable response, either from a sporting or an ethical standpoint."

A veteran African football reporter expresses profound dismay over Caf's appeals committee decision to overturn Senegal's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations victory and award the title to Morocco. This decision violates point 5.2 of the laws of the game, which establishes that referee decisions regarding facts connected with play are final and cannot be changed. Former and current Caf officials have condemned the ruling as disgraceful and a joke, arguing that correcting one injustice with another injustice is unacceptable from both sporting and ethical perspectives. This represents another instance of Caf's problematic governance, following similar controversial decisions in past competitions.

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