Unbelievable details… Documents reveal what went on behind the scenes in the Morocco-Senegal final

According to the Spanish newspaper *AS*, the roots of the crisis go back to the days leading up to the final, when Senegal began to feel that things were being rigged against them from the moment they arrived in Morocco.

The “Lions of Teranga” delegation was moved from a luxury hotel in Tangier to the Al-Rihab complex, which was not included on CAF’s list of approved accommodation.

Following an official protest, the team was moved to the Amfitrit Hotel on the outskirts of Rabat, a compromise that did not satisfy the Senegalese side.

Tensions rose further when the Mohammed VI Sports Complex was allocated for Senegal’s training sessions, the same facility used by the Moroccan national team as their training camp.

The Senegalese considered this a breach of the principle of equal opportunities and expressed fears that their training sessions might be monitored or that their tactical plans might be leaked.

The security and ticketing crisis further inflamed the situation, as Senegal complained of poor organisation upon their arrival in Rabat and of an “unfair distribution” of match tickets, prompting them to publicly warn of “irregularities” just hours before the final.

On the night of the final, the Moulay Abdallah Stadium descended into chaos: a controversial Senegalese goal was disallowed, then Morocco were awarded a penalty that sparked fierce protests, before events escalated with the Senegalese squad walking off the pitch en masse in protest against what they described as “blatant refereeing injustice”.

After returning, Ibrahim Diaz attempted a “Panenka-style” penalty but missed, before Senegal went on to win in extra time with a clean sheet.

Morocco, for its part, considered the walkout an official withdrawal warranting a 3-0 defeat for Senegal, a view subsequently adopted by CAF in its initial decision, before it was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following an appeal by the Senegalese side.

"AS" has revealed sensational details from the CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam on 13 February, where the head of the Referees’ Committee, Olivier Safary, admitted that the referee had received “institutional instructions” not to send off Senegalese players during the match’s suspension, in order to ensure the game continued.

This admission, according to the newspaper, sparked controversy within CAF and opened the door to accusations of interference in refereeing decisions.

A controversial appeal hearing

At a press conference in Paris on 26 March, lawyers for the Senegalese Football Federation described the appeal hearing before CAS as “disastrous”, asserting that the judge appeared to have made up his mind in advance.

Senegal also raised the issue of a conflict of interest within the Appeals Committee, following the involvement of lawyer Moez Nasri, who also serves as president of the Tunisian Football Federation. Senegal described this as a “clear conflict between his role as a judge and that of a party to the competition”; even CAF President Patrice Motsepe expressed his surprise at Nasri’s presence on the committee.

No champion… and no end in sight

Today, 77 days after the final whistle, the African continent remains without an official champion. Senegal maintains that it won on the pitch, whilst Morocco insists that the law awards it the title, with CAF finding itself accused by both sides of “mismanagement” and a “lack of transparency”.

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