Former Ivorian international Yaya Touré has made strong statements following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, praising Senegal’s performance and suggesting the team faced unfair treatment during the tournament. Touré emphasized his commitment to fair play but stated he would not stand by and watch injustice prevail.
Touré expressed admiration for Senegal’s resilience and mental fortitude, particularly in the final match. He conveyed a message that winning with integrity is paramount, and that any attempt to distort the spirit of the game should be resisted. “I will never accept that,” he declared.
The former Manchester City midfielder suggested that had Senegal not acted decisively in the final, their AFCON journey might have ended prematurely. He argued that any potential sanctions from CAF or FIFA against Senegal would be meaningless, as they rightfully earned their second star.
Touré highlighted specific instances during the tournament, alleging that ball boys and Moroccan players on the bench attempted to distract the Senegalese goalkeeper by withholding his towel, which he needed to wipe his face due to the light rain. “They did the same thing with the Nigerian goalkeeper… Is this fair play?” he questioned.
He further claimed, “They were ready to do anything to win the Africa Cup of Nations… but Senegal is very strong in everything. I will never accept injustice in the name of so-called fair play. Never.”
Addressing a disallowed Senegalese goal, Touré asserted, “It was a legitimate goal… If Morocco had scored the same goal, in the same situation, the referees would never have disallowed it.”
