Casablanca – Former South Africa head coach Hugo Broos’ comments on the disputed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final have returned to the spotlight after Morocco and Senegal presented their cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
French outlet Football365 revisited Broos’ position on Friday, several months after the Belgian coach backed the CAF Appeal Board’s decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory over Senegal.
Broos originally addressed the case in March during a media appearance while he was still in charge of South Africa.
“It is very hard for Senegal to lose, but there is a rule: if you leave the pitch, it is a forfeit. It is over. Morocco has the cup,” he said at the time.
CAF’s Disciplinary Board initially rejected the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) protest over Senegal’s conduct in the January 18 final. The FRMF had asked the body to apply Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.
The Appeal Board overturned that decision on March 17.
It ruled that Senegal’s conduct fell within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 and declared the team to have forfeited the final. CAF consequently recorded the match as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
Senegal had originally won the match 1-0 after extra time. Several Senegal players left the pitch late in normal time after Morocco received a penalty, before eventually returning to complete the game.
Brahim Diaz failed to convert the penalty after play resumed, and Pape Gueye later scored Senegal’s extra-time goal.
The Senegalese Football Federation appealed CAF’s ruling to CAS on March 25. The case reached a closed-door hearing in Lausanne on Thursday, October 8, with representatives of Senegal, Morocco and CAF presenting their arguments before a three-member arbitration panel.
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said after the hearing that the panel would focus on procedural and legal questions and issue a reasoned decision as soon as possible. He did not announce a specific date.
Morocco’s representatives declined to comment publicly after the session, while Senegalese Football Federation Secretary General Abdoulaye Sow said his side had presented its arguments before the panel.
Broos’ March comments now provide one of the more prominent outside views supporting Morocco’s interpretation of the regulations, but the final legal determination remains with CAS.
The 74-year-old is no longer in charge of South Africa. He left the position at the end of July after five years with Bafana Bafana and after guiding the team to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
