Rabat – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered the Senegalese Football Federation’s Appeals Committee to accept and examine a challenge filed by former presidential candidate Mady Touré against the election of current federation president Abdoulaye Fall.
The ruling, issued on Friday, August 21, overturned the Appeals Committee’s earlier decision to reject Touré’s challenge on procedural grounds, finding that the dismissal was not supported by the Senegalese federation’s electoral regulations.
The dispute dates back to the Senegalese Football Federation’s electoral General Assembly held in August 2025, which resulted in Fall being elected president for a four-year term.
Touré, who competed against Fall in the election, withdrew from the second round of voting and subsequently contested the electoral process.
He raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the summoning of federation members and the lack of effective oversight during the counting of ballots. After his appeal was rejected by the Senegalese football authorities, Touré brought the dispute before CAS.
CAS rejects Senegalese Committee’s decision
In its ruling, CAS found that the Senegalese Appeals Committee had improperly dismissed Touré’s challenge without addressing the substance of his allegations.
The international sports tribunal has therefore ordered the committee to accept the appeal and examine the case on its merits, including the evidence and allegations presented by Touré.
The decision means that the Senegalese Appeals Committee can no longer dismiss the case solely on the procedural grounds previously used. It must now consider Touré’s claims and issue a new decision in accordance with the federation’s electoral rules.
However, CAS did not rule that Fall’s election was invalid.
The tribunal also did not order a new election or remove Fall from his position, as it determined that it did not have sufficient grounds to directly annul the 2025 electoral process.
Abdoulaye Fall remains president for now
Fall will consequently remain president of the Senegalese Football Federation while the case proceeds before the domestic Appeals Committee.
The next stage will focus on the substance of Touré’s allegations and the evidence surrounding the 2025 election. Only after that examination will the Senegalese body determine whether any electoral violations occurred and whether they could have consequences for the validity of the vote.
The CAS ruling therefore does not settle the dispute between Touré and Fall, but it reopens the legal path for the former candidate to have his electoral challenge formally considered.
For Touré, the decision represents a significant development after his initial appeal was rejected by the Senegalese federation. His case must now be accepted and examined on its merits by the competent Senegalese appeals body.
