CAS hears Senegal appeal over disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title
AI Summary
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is hearing Senegal's appeal to reclaim the AFCON title after being stripped of their victory over Morocco following a mid-match protest.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport began hearing Senegal's appeal on Thursday after the team was stripped of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and the win was awarded to Morocco.
The hearing in Lausanne follows a controversial final in January where Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 in extra time. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) later overturned the result, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match. According to Al Jazeera, Senegal is now seeking to be reinstated as winners, arguing that the referee's decisions on the pitch should be final.
The dispute centers on a period during regulation time when Senegal players walked off the pitch to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco. Al Jazeera reported the walk-off lasted 14 minutes. BBC Sport noted that Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led staff and players toward the tunnel during the chaos. Although play eventually resumed and Senegal won through a Pape Gueye goal, Morocco's football federation filed a complaint citing competition regulations regarding teams that leave the ground without authorization.
A CAS panel, presided over by French expert Gerald Simon, is hearing arguments from Senegal, Morocco, and CAF. Senegal's legal team is expected to argue that a temporary departure does not constitute abandoning a match. Conversely, CAF's previous ruling was based on Article 82, which states that any team leaving the field before the regular end of a match is considered the loser and eliminated.
A final verdict is not expected immediately. CAS issued a statement confirming that while the hearing takes place Thursday, the panel must still begin deliberations. Both ESPN and BBC Sport noted that while a resolution will not arrive the same day, a final decision is expected to be rendered within the coming days.
Background
In the January final, Morocco's Brahim Diaz missed a penalty in the 124th minute before Senegal secured the win. Two months later, a CAF appeals board stripped Senegal of the trophy and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, leading Senegal to lodge an appeal with CAS on March 25.
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