Senegal and Morocco are expected to know the outcome of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title dispute within days, following a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said the three-member panel handling Senegal’s appeal aims to deliver its decision a few days after the hearing, potentially bringing an end to the protracted dispute over the AFCON title.
The hearing took place on Thursday, nearly nine months after Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the AFCON final.
However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Board overturned the result in March, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory after ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match.
The decision followed a brief walk-off by Senegal’s players in protest against a late penalty awarded to Morocco. The Senegalese players later returned to the pitch, and the match resumed under the authority of Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Senegal subsequently appealed to CAS, seeking to overturn CAF’s ruling and have their victory reinstated.
One of the key issues expected to feature in the proceedings is the authority of the referee, as Law 5.2 of football’s Laws of the Game stipulates that a referee’s decisions on facts connected with play, including the result of a match, are final.
Reeb acknowledged the lengthy wait for supporters but said the procedural timetable had been agreed upon by all parties.
“I know it’s a long wait for the fans, a few months after the final,” he said, adding that the judges intended to issue their decision a few days after considering the case.
The hearing was held behind closed doors, with legal representatives of the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations, as well as CAF, participating in the proceedings.
The dispute has generated widespread controversy since the January final, with CAF imposing fines totalling more than one million dollars on the two federations, players and Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw.
Following CAF’s ruling, Morocco were officially recognised as champions after being awarded the 3-0 victory, while Senegal have continued their legal battle to reclaim the title they won on the pitch.
The next Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to begin in June and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
