The Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) disciplinary panel’s verdict on the stormy 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between Senegal and Morocco has triggered outrage in the host nation, according to Afrik Foot.
Instead of calming tensions, the website reports that the ruling has reignited anger, confusion and a sense of injustice across Moroccan media and social networks.
Many fans had hoped that Senegal would be stripped of the title after their players briefly walked off the pitch in protest during added time.
Instead, CAF handed out suspensions to Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and players Ismaïla Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye, alongside a hefty fine.
Morocco, meanwhile, saw Achraf Hakimi and Ismaël Saibari sanctioned in the infamous “towel case,” with additional penalties for ball boys, VAR intrusion, and laser use in the stands.
On social media, frustration boiled over. The FRMF Xtra account captured the mood with a viral post: “We feel exactly the same as the day we lost the AFCON final. Disgusted.”
Calls for an official response from the Moroccan Football Federation grew louder, with silence interpreted as abandonment of supporters.
Journalists who had suggested Senegal risked losing the title faced backlash, accused of “selling dreams” to fans. Youssef Temsemani, who claimed “from a reliable source” that Senegal could be stripped of the trophy, was singled out for criticism.
The Moroccan press also condemned the verdict. Le360 argued that CAF avoided addressing the most serious act, Senegal’s walk-off and match interruption, instead punishing “peripheral behaviour.”
By contrast, Morocco was hit with cumulative sanctions, which the outlet described as an attempt to ‘politically balance’ responsibility at the expense of the host nation.
The controversy shows no sign of fading. Discussions of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) are already underway.
In Nigeria, two frontline sports administrators, former Gombe FA Chairman, Shuaibu Ahmed Gara-Gombe and former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, have reacted differently to the sanctions by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Senegal and Morocco.
Among other things, CAF imposed heavy sanctions totalling $615,000 on the Senegal Football Federation (FSF). It included a $300,000 fine on its supporters for improper conduct, $300,000 on its players/staff for unsporting behaviour and bringing the game into disrepute and $15,000 for five yellow card infractions in the final.
Coach Pape Thiaw was handed five CAF matches suspensions and also fined $100,000, just as two Senegalese players, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr, were handed two CAF matches bans.
On the side of Morocco, CAF rejected their appeal to be declared AFCON champions, but imposed a total fine of $315,000 on them, which includes $200,000 on stadium ball boys’ misconduct, $100,000 on players/staff invading RRA, and $15,000 for fans’ use of lasers.
The Moroccan team captain, Achraf Hakimi, was suspended for two CAF matches (1 suspended for one year), while Ismaël Saibari was slapped with a three-match suspension in addition to a $100,000 fine.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Gara Gombe said: “CAF has finally summoned the courage to decide on the AFCON finals, but I have not seen any reprimand on the referee who was at the centre of all these, which means he might have acted on either instruction or body language of those who appointed him.”
Gara-Gombe added: “Again, the Moroccan fans who assaulted the Senegalese Fans were spared. I am also aware that if you walk off the pitch and refuse to play for, I think, 20 minutes, you lose the game. At least this applies in our local league, but I don’t know of CAF’s disciplinary measures. Besides, Senegal had complained before the final game to CAF with series of issues. What happened to that?
“Finally, the refusal of the guest of honour to hand over the trophy to Senegal’s captain is a breach of ceremonial protocol. At least, CAF should address that because a bad precedent was established.”
For Adelabu, who is a former coach of EKO United FC, now a sports scientist, the sanctions by CAF are in order.
“I think it is a wake-up call for the sanitisation of our football community. Yes, people can be easily provoked under such a tense atmosphere, but at the same time, we should learn to direct ourselves as sportsmen. It does not present a good image to the sponsors; hence, we have to start from somewhere.”
Adelabu, who played club football with the Shooting Stars of Ibadan, added: “I think it is a form of deterrent to others to uphold the dignity of the game in the spirit of sportsmanship.”
Meanwhile, the Sanctions imposed on Senegal and Morocco are limited to competitions organised by CAF.
There were concerns that the five-match ban imposed on Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw and the two-game suspension of Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi could stop them from featuring in five and two matches respectively at the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.
The AFCON champions are grouped with France and Norway and another nation still to be determined, while the Atlas Lions are in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
A source at CAF clarified yesterday that despite being sanctioned, the bans for Thiaw, Ndiaye, Sarr, Hakimi and Saibari relate to CAF matches only, meaning they will not impact their availability at this summer’s World Cup.
Thiaw will be on the touchline, and the four players will be available for selection in North America, he said.
