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Senegal said it would appeal the “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision” to strip it of its Africa Cup of Nations title after a chaotic final against hosts Morocco.
On Tuesday, the appeals board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided that Senegal had lost the final in January by walking off the pitch in extra time to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco.
They then returned to the field, but their rivals missed a crucial penalty, but now the board’s decision has changed Senegal won 1-0 being the default 3-0 win for Moroccomaking them the winners of the tournament.
Now Senegalese the government vowed to “take all appropriate legal avenues” to challenge the decision.
“This unprecedented and very serious decision directly contradicts the basic principles of sports ethics, chief among them fairness, loyalty and respect for the truth of the game,” the government said in a statement.
The statement also branded the decision “grossly illegal and grossly unfair” and “a patently incorrect interpretation of the regulations”.
The Senegalese Football Federation also said the decision was “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable” and “discredits African football”.
Senegal’s Sadio Mane lifts the trophy with his teammates as they celebrate winning the Africa Cup of Nations. Photo: Reuters
The organization said it would appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
To justify its decision, CAF referred to Articles 82 and 84 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations.
The first stipulates that a team will lose and be eliminated from the tournament if it refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee’s permission.
The final article mandates a 3-0 win for the opposing team.
Senegal fans clash with security as fans storm the pitch
However, the referee has “full authority” to decide what happens in the match under Law 5 of the International Football Association Council, which sets the rules of the game globally.
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In its own statement, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation said its appeal to CAF was “never about challenging the sporting performance” of the team, “but solely to ensure that the rules of the tournament are respected”.
“CAF has acknowledged that these regulations, which are known to everyone and apply to everyone, were not complied with,” he added.
