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Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced today that it is reviewing all footage from the AFCON final in Rabat, condemning what it described as “unacceptable behavior” by some Senegalese players and officials.
CAF stressed that any appropriate actions, particularly those directed at referees or match organizers, are intolerable, stressing that all footage from the game is under review.
The matter will be referred to the relevant disciplinary bodies for appropriate action, CAF concluded.
FIFA President echoed the same sentiment, describing acts made by some Senegalese players and supporters as “ugly.”
“We also witnessed unacceptable scenes on the field and in the stands – we strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff. It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right,” Infantino wrote on his social media.
The remarks followed the chaos created by Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw on the pitch with the majority of his players, who left the stadium after Morocco was awarded a VAR-confirmed penalty following a foul against Brahim Diaz.
Chaotic scenes were caught on camera with some Senegalese supporters violently destroying seats and using them as weapons against security guards who intervened to hold them from storming the pitch.
In protest of the legitimate penalty decision, Thiaw and his players threatened to abandon the match and headed to their locker room to refuse to finish the game – an act that, in football rules, is punishable.
If the team permanently leaves the pitch, their opponent becomes a winner by default, with a 3-0 score.
However, this did not happen in the AFCON final, as Senegal star Sadio Mane convinced his teammates to return to the pitch and complete the game. They ultimately scored a goal in the first half of extra time.
For Infantino, such practices have no place in football.
“I expect the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF will take the appropriate measures,” Infantino said, calling on the Senegalese team to act responsibly and to set the right example for fans.
