“The FSF will use all possible legal, institutional and jurisdictional means to assert its rights and restore sporting fairness”. On Thursday, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) officially began its legal battle after the dismissal of its African champion title, by announcing that it would refer the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Swiss court used to ruling on this type of conflict. Two months after the coronation of the Lions of Teranga in Rabat, at the expense of Morocco (1-0, ap), CAF turned everything around.
Tuesday evening, the appeal committee of the African Confederation decided to sanction the Senegalese team for its withdrawal from the field in added time of the second half of the final. After the penalty whistled by the referee of the game, Jean-Jacques Ndala, for a foul on Brahim Diaz, the Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw asked his players to return to the locker room. As provided for in the competition regulations, abandoning the field resulted in a 3-0 defeat for the Senegalese. The final victory therefore goes to Morocco.
The whole of African football has been torn apart since the decision of the CAF appeal committee, met only two months after the end of the competition – at the request of the Moroccan federation. While Morocco now finds itself somewhat isolated, Senegal can count on the strong support of South Africa. The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, offers the services of his lawyers!
“We will not be taken hostage by Morocco”
“We must not beat around the bush. Senegal is African champion because football matches are not won in meeting rooms. We will support Senegal and help it, we have excellent lawyers in this country who will be there to assist it”explained the minister on the SABC News channel.
Gayton McKenzie also spoke about the next women’s CAN, which Morocco no longer wants to organize. “We will not be taken hostage by Morocco. South Africa has much more to offer than Morocco: we are a bigger country, with a bigger economy and bigger stadiums. So I say it: we are ready to welcome the CAN”he says, as reported Afrik-Foot.
