PARIS (AP) – Senegal was the victim of “a highly unjust administrative robbery” when it was stripped of its African Cup of Nations title, Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Association, said Thursday.
Faure told a press conference in Paris that Senegal would fight to defend its “honor” at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Lawyer Seydou Diagne said Senegal had been “betrayed” and said he had assembled international lawyers from Switzerland, Spain, France and Senegal to prosecute the case. The Senegalese Football Federation is contesting a surprise ruling by the Confederation of African Football last week to strip Senegal of the title. won in a chaotic final match The award is held in January and is awarded to host country Morocco.
Senegal’s legal team said that despite the CAF ruling, Senegal still considers itself Africa’s champion.
“If CAS lets this situation go, the winner of the next World Cup may be decided within the law firm,” Diagne said.
Senegal are in France to play a friendly against Peru at the Stade de France this Saturday as part of their World Cup preparations.
Senegal’s complaint is Returning as African Cup champions CAS registered on Wednesday, but no timeline has been set for what is likely to be a lengthy process towards a verdict.
The content of the appeal is The Senegalese government has promisedIt also called for an international investigation into “alleged corruption” within CAF.
CAS said the Senegalese federation also asked for additional time to file a brief of appeal, as CAF has not yet provided detailed reasons in writing explaining its decision.
CAF’s appeals panel stripped Senegal of the title two months after the final in Rabat, as punishment for players being sent off in protest and causing a 15-minute stoppage after Morocco were awarded the title-clinching penalty with the final kick.
Once Senegal returned to the field and play resumed, Morocco’s penalty was saved and the match went into extra time. Senegal scored the only goal in extra time, defeating the hosts 1-0.
soccer state laws referee’s decision The play on the field is final.
However, CAF judges cited competition rules that state that teams that refuse to participate will be “permanently excluded from the current competition.”
The verdict on Morocco’s appeal is CAF disciplinary decision from January It fueled the perception that the country, which is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup, is gaining influence in international soccer politics.
CAF South Africa President Patrice Motsepe claimed last week “No African country will be treated favorably or favorably over any other country.”
Appeals to CAS typically take several months to schedule a hearing, and then may take additional weeks or months to announce a verdict.
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