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Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) relied on several detailed official match reports of the Morocco-Senegal AFCON final to rule in favor of the Atlas Lions, Moroccan news outlet Médias24 reported on Tuesday.
CAF applied articles 82 and 84 of its regulations, which sanction teams that leave the field before the final whistle without the referee’s approval. At the heart of that ruling are Senegal’s actions during the closing moments of the AFCON final.
The reports reviewed by Médias24 describe how the situation escalated late in the game. According to the referee’s report, there was a stoppage in the 97th minute following protests over a penalty awarded to Morocco.
The referee’s decision to award Morocco a last-minute penalty triggered strong reactions from Senegal’s players and staff, it notes.
The report further recalls that, on instructions from head coach Pape Thiaw, the players left the pitch and returned to the dressing room.
That walk-off is considered decisive in the interpretation of the incident, with the referee noting that play was interrupted and only resumed after several minutes.
Sequence of events and protests
Further reports support that version. The match commissioner’s report confirms that there was a temporary suspension of the game after most of the Senegalese players left the field. It also points to continued protests after the use of VAR, saying these increased tensions around the referee’s decision had an impact on the game’s proceedings.
The general coordinator’s report describes strong reactions not only from players but also from technical staff and substitutes. The protests intensified after the final decision by the referee, he stressed.
Security reports in the match file add another layer to the overall picture. They mention attempts by some supporters to enter the pitch and incidents involving objects being thrown.
The reports describe a tense environment, with security staff dealing with aggressive behavior in the stands.
One key element in the security assessment concerns the context before the match. Pre-match statements were “not reassuring,” the report states, referring to comments by the Senegalese coach and federation in the days leading up to the final.
In particular, Senegal’s coach had suggested that his players felt unsafe upon arrival in Rabat from Tangiers. According to the security report, such pre-match sentiments may have contributed to the grave atmosphere on match day.
