In football, outcomes are determined not by headlines or media hype, but by the laws of the game and the referee’s official report. The controversial Article 82, concerning team withdrawals before the final whistle, has been subject to misinterpretation, particularly following the recent Africa Cup of Nations final.
What Does Article 82 Actually State?
According to both CAF and FIFA regulations, a team is considered to have withdrawn only if it refuses to resume play or causes the match to be terminated by the referee’s decision before the final whistle. Simply having players temporarily leave the field, engaging in heated protests, or experiencing tension on the pitch is insufficient. The law requires three elements:
- All team players must leave the field.
- There must be an explicit and clear refusal to resume play.
- The referee must officially end the match and record the withdrawal in their report.
The absence of even one of these elements legally invalidates any claim of ‘withdrawal’.
Applying the Law to the Morocco-Senegal Final
Examining the events of the final, the following facts remain undisputed:
- Some Senegal players left the field during a tense moment.
- At least one player remained on the field.
- Captain Sadio Mane intervened and persuaded his teammates to return.
- The referee did not end the match or declare a withdrawal.
- Play officially resumed.
- The original time ended in a draw (0-0).
- Morocco was awarded a penalty in injury time.
- The full extra time was played.
- Senegal scored the winning goal and won the title.
These facts alone are legally sufficient to end any debate about a withdrawal.
Why the Protest Based on Article 82 Fails
For three decisive reasons:
- The Referee’s Authority is Absolute: The referee is the sole authority authorized to declare a withdrawal. Since the referee did not end the match or record a withdrawal, any talk of withdrawal becomes a baseless media claim.
- Resumption of Play Nullifies Any Previous Claim: In sports law, resuming a match implies implicit acceptance of continuing the competition.
In a match that was played for 120 minutes and went into extra time, it is impossible to claim victory based on a supposed withdrawal that never officially took place.
