‘We will not back down’: Senegal vow to appeal after Africa Cup of Nations title stripped

The Senegalese football federation has described the decision to strip the country of January’s Africa Cup of Nations title as a “travesty” and said it will appeal to the court of arbitration for sport.

On Tuesday Morocco were awarded a 3-0 win by the Confederation of African Football in an unprecedented ruling. Caf’s appeal board said Senegal were “declared to have forfeited the final” after their head coach, Pape Thiaw, and some of his players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest at Morocco being awarded a late penalty. After the game resumed Brahim Díaz’s spot‑kick was saved and the final went to extra time, when Pape Gueye scored what until Tuesday was the winning goal.

Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese FA, told 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 described the ruling as a “shame for Africa” and said: “We will not back down. Senegalese people should have no doubt. The truth is on Senegal’s side, the law is on Senegal’s side.“

At an initial disciplinary hearing, Caf had imposed fines of more than $1m and bans for Senegal and Morocco players and officials but left the result untouched.

The Senegalese FA said in a statement that it denounced “this unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which casts a shadow over African football”.

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