Senegal appeals to Court of Arbitration for Sports over AFCON title decision

Senegal Files Appeal with CAS Over AFCON Title Stripping

The Senegalese Football Federation has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations title. The Swiss-based tribunal confirmed receipt of the appeal on Wednesday.

According to CAS, Senegal is seeking to overturn CAF’s decision to declare Morocco the champions after several Senegalese players walked off the pitch during the AFCON final on January 18. The match ended in a 1-0 victory for Senegal in extra time, but CAF declared them to have forfeited the match due to alleged tournament regulations infringement.

The penalty that sparked the controversy was awarded to Morocco in injury time with the game goalless, following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz by El Hadji Malick Diouf. The Senegalese players walked off the pitch for nearly 20 minutes to protest the penalty award, while some supporters attempted a pitch invasion.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation had initially reacted to CAF’s decision by stating that they had never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in the competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had also condemned “some Senegal players” for their behavior during the match.

The CAS Director General, Matthieu Reeb, stated that arbitration proceedings would be conducted as swiftly as possible while respecting the right of all parties to a fair hearing. The final decision on the appeal is yet to be made.

Source: Al Jazeera