The Senegalese government expressed its “deep dissatisfaction” on Wednesday regarding the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Committee to strip its national team of the African title (CAN 2025). The government simultaneously called for “an independent international investigation into suspicions of corruption within these governing bodies.”
The Senegalese government considered the decision, issued by the Appeals Committee on Tuesday based on Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, to be “extremely serious.” The ruling, which declared Senegal the loser and awarded a 3-0 result, was described as “directly contradicting the fundamental principles of sports ethics, primarily fairness, integrity, and respect for the reality of what occurred on the pitch.”
The statement noted that the initial CAF Disciplinary Committee had confirmed Senegal’s victory while imposing sanctions on both teams following the events of the final on January 18. The initial decision respected the Senegalese players, who had temporarily left the field in protest of a disputed penalty before returning to the pitch and winning the final after extra time.
The Senegalese government believes the Appeals Committee’s ruling “seriously undermines the credibility of the Confederation of African Football as well as the legitimate trust of African peoples in continental sports institutions.” It also condemned what it described as an “unjustified attempt to strip” the title, refusing to allow the “commitment, merit, and sporting excellence” of its players to be erased by an administrative decision.
The statement added that Senegal is demanding an independent international investigation into “suspicions of corruption” within CAF. It also announced its intention to “pursue all appropriate avenues of appeal, including before competent international judicial bodies, to achieve justice and restore the result achieved on the field.”
