The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has commenced a hearing into Senegal's appeal against the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. The hearing, which began on Thursday in Lausanne, comes almost 10 months after Senegal's victory over Morocco in the tournament final. The match had a chaotic finish, with Senegal's players walking off the pitch in protest at a late penalty award to Morocco.
The CAF overturned Senegal's victory in March, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win and the title. The decision was based on Senegal's players leaving the field of play without the referee's authorisation, which was deemed a breach of rules. Senegal's football federation president, Abdoulaye Sow, expressed hope that "sports law" would be upheld during the hearing, citing the "dignity and honour of Africa". The Moroccan delegation did not comment on the matter.
The hearing, which lasted over five hours on its opening day, may continue for "days or even weeks", according to CAS general manager Matthieu Reeb. Reeb acknowledged the long wait for supporters of both teams, as well as African fans in general. The CAS hearing will examine the CAF's decision and Senegal's appeal against it.
Researchers have questioned the CAF's ruling, describing it as "extremely strict". Thibault Ulrich, a sports law researcher at Lausanne University, noted that the CAF failed to recognise the decision of Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to allow the match to continue. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has a rule that suggests a referee's decision to continue a match cannot be overturned, even if an error was made.
The CAS's own rules favour respect for a referee's decisions, unless there is evidence of corruption or bad faith. Senegal blasted the CAF's decision as the "most blatant administrative robbery in the history of our sport". The Senegalese government called for an investigation into suspected corruption at CAF in March.
The developments surrounding the CAF's decision have raised concerns about the governing body's integrity. Two weeks before rendering its decision in favour of Morocco, CAF fired lawyer Yassin Osman Robleh, who had been in charge of guaranteeing the integrity of its procedures for six years.
The outcome of the CAS hearing will have significant implications for both Senegal and Morocco, as well as the broader African football community. The hearing will determine whether Senegal's appeal is successful and if they can regain the AFCON title.
Key points
- The CAS hearing into Senegal's appeal against being stripped of the AFCON title has begun in Lausanne.
- The CAF's decision to award Morocco the title was based on Senegal's players leaving the field without the referee's authorisation.
- The hearing's outcome will have significant implications for both Senegal and Morocco, as well as African football.
