Amid the controversy following the CAF Disciplinary Board’s decisions, a senior official from the Senegalese Football Federation told Assahifa that the sanctions were met in Dakar with “clear condemnation and outright rejection.”
The source explained that, from the Senegalese perspective, the penalties do not reflect what actually happened during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, hosted by Morocco, nor the tense context that marked the match.
The official added that the Senegalese side feels it has been subjected to “disciplinary injustice,” both in how events were described and in the allocation of responsibilities and sanctions. The decisions, he said, appeared “unbalanced” and did not take into account the exceptional pressures of a continental final.
The source confirmed that the federation will discuss the possibility of appealing the sanctions in an upcoming meeting of the relevant bodies, according to CAF regulations.
He emphasized that pursuing an appeal is a matter of “legitimate institutional defence” of Senegalese football’s image and stakeholders, and is not intended as escalation or a challenge to the CAF Disciplinary Board’s authority.
The official also expressed full support for Senegalese head coach Pape Thiaw, calling the penalty against him “harsh and unfair,” and reaffirming the federation’s confidence in its technical staff.
According to the Senegalese reading, the conduct attributed to the coach did not reflect his professional record or reputation within African football, but occurred in an exceptional context marked by heightened tensions and high-stakes pressure.
The statement comes as the CAF Disciplinary Board issued a series of sanctions affecting both Senegal and Morocco. The decisions included suspensions and heavy fines targeting Senegal’s coach and players, as well as Moroccan players and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, for confirmed breaches of the CAF Disciplinary Code related to unsporting conduct, encroachment into restricted areas, and fan behaviour that harmed the image of football.
Senegalese sanctions included:
- Coach Pape Thiaw: suspended five CAF matches, fined $100,000.
- Players Elimane Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr: each suspended two matches for unsporting behaviour toward the referee.
- Senegalese Football Federation: fined $300,000 for fan misconduct, $300,000 for unsporting conduct by players and technical staff, and $15,000 for five players receiving cautions.
Moroccan sanctions included:
- Captain Achraf Hakimi: suspended two CAF matches, with one match suspended for a one-year probation period.
- Player Ismaël Saibari: suspended three CAF matches, fined $100,000.
- Royal Moroccan Football Federation: fined $200,000 for misconduct by ball boys, $100,000 for players and technical staff invading the VAR review area and obstructing the referee, and $15,000 for fans using laser pointers.
CAF also rejected a complaint by the Moroccan Football Federation alleging violations by Senegal during the final under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations.
