The fines totaled more than $1 million, and players from both teams were suspended following the African Cup of Nations final defeat and chaos.
African football’s governing body has fined Senegal’s coach and Senegal and Morocco players more than $1 million and suspended them over a disastrous African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final that included a walk-off protest by one of the teams, fans attempting to storm the field and a scuffle between journalists.
The ban announced on Thursday applies only to African matches and does not apply to the World Cup, which starts in June, where Senegal and Morocco have qualified.
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The sanctions announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) include fines totaling $615,000 for the Senegalese Football Federation and fines for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation for unsporting and inappropriate conduct by players, coaching staff and supporters.
At the AFCON finale on January 18, Senegal’s players, led by coach Pape Thiau, walked off the pitch to protest a penalty awarded to hosts Morocco late in regulation time. Thiau, who defended his team’s actions last week, was suspended for five games in Africa and fined $100,000 for bringing the game into disrepute, the African Confederation said.
The match resumed after a delay of approximately 15 minutes. Morocco missed a penalty, and Senegal won the African title 1-0 after extra time.
The hotly contested final in Rabat featured supporters attempting to storm the field, players from Morocco and Senegal scuffling on the sidelines, reporters from both countries scuffling in the media area, and a bizarre scene in which a Moroccan ballboy tried to steal the towel used by Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in an attempt to distract him and help his team win the continental title.
The home team’s ball boy’s actions resulted in a $200,000 fine for the Moroccan federation. The Moroccan federation is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup along with Spain and Portugal, and the outcome of the chaotic African final is under intense scrutiny.
The home team’s ball boy’s actions resulted in a $200,000 fine for the Moroccan federation. The Moroccan federation will be co-hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, and the fate of the chaotic African finals is under intense scrutiny.
Morocco had hoped to host the 2030 World Cup final in Casablanca at Hassan II Stadium, which was due to be completed in 2028 and would be the world’s largest football stadium with a capacity of 115,000. But this month’s African final reflected that badly.
Morocco coach Walid Reglagui said the match cast a “shameful” image on African football.
Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were suspended for two games in Africa, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi was also suspended for two games and suspended for one game, and Morocco’s Ismael Saibari was suspended for three games and fined $100,000 for unsporting conduct.
CAF rejected Morocco’s appeal to cancel the result, and Morocco was declared the winner, with Senegal winning by default.
The match also strained diplomatic relations between Senegal and Morocco, with officials from both countries vowing to maintain friendly relations and calling for calm. In Morocco, rights groups condemned so-called hate speech targeting the country’s sub-Saharan African population.
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, on an investment-related visit to Morocco a few days after the match, said the reaction to the match should be seen as an “outburst of emotion caused by enthusiasm rather than a political or cultural rift.”
In a further blow to Morocco’s 2030 FIFA World Cup ambitions, the president of the Spanish Football Federation declared on Tuesday that his country would host the final.
FIFA, which has decision-making authority, has not yet announced where the tournament’s marquee matches will be held.
