Cairo: The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe declared his intention to "respect" the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision regarding Senegal's appeal against being stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title. "I will respect and implement the CAS decision. My personal opinion regarding the matter is irrelevant," Motsepe stated during a press conference held in Cairo following a meeting of CAF executives. According to France24.com, the appeal from Senegal followed a decision by the CAF appeals body to overturn Senegal's 1-0 victory against Morocco in the Cup of Nations final held last month. The controversy arose when several Senegalese players, along with head coach Pape Thiaw and his staff, left the pitch in Rabat after Morocco was awarded a penalty in added time. Although Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, Pape Gueye eventually secured the win for Senegal in extra time. Despite the disciplinary committee imposing fines on individuals from both teams, the match result in itially stood until Morocco appealed and was subsequently granted a 3-0 victory. Motsepe emphasized that the appeal board is composed of independent judges and lawyers. During a recent 2026 World Cup warm-up match against Peru in Paris, Senegal showcased the Cup of Nations trophy and donned shirts featuring two stars, symbolizing their 2022 triumph and the disputed victory in February. Motsepe expressed plans to visit Senegal and Morocco, highlighting the importance of collaboration to advance African football. CAF released a statement indicating ongoing changes and improvements to their statutes and regulations to bolster confidence in African referees, VAR operators, and judicial bodies. The organization aims to ensure that incidents like those witnessed in the final do not recur. Additionally, Motsepe announced that Nigeria-born CAF official Samson Adamu would serve as the caretaker general secretary of the Cairo-based organization, succeeding Veron Mosengo-Omba, who is retiring after reaching the mandat ory retirement age of 66.
