Morocco Victorious in AFCON Appeal, Senegal Fights On
Morocco claims the AFCON case is closed after their successful appeal, but Senegal is appealing to CAF and CAS to contest the decision.
Morocco is adamant that their case regarding the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title is now closed after their successful appeal against a 1-0 defeat to Senegal. However, the Senegalese football federation has vowed to continue fighting the decision, appealing to both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco was a tightly contested match that ended 1-0 in favor of Senegal. However, Morocco immediately protested the result, citing several controversial refereeing decisions that they believed had unfairly cost them the game.
After reviewing the match, the CAF disciplinary committee ruled in favor of Morocco, overturning the 1-0 result and awarding the AFCON title to the Atlas Lions. This decision has left the Senegalese football federation outraged, with president Augusts Cisse describing it as a "disgrace" and vowing to appeal the ruling.
"We will appeal this decision to CAF and if necessary, to CAS," Cisse said in a strongly worded statement. "This is an injustice that we cannot accept. Our team won the AFCON final fair and square, and we will fight to have that result upheld."
Morocco, on the other hand, is confident that their appeal will stand. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) released a statement claiming that the AFCON case is now "closed" and that they are the rightful champions of the tournament.
"We are pleased that the CAF disciplinary committee has recognized the injustices that occurred during the final," the FRMF statement read. "Morocco is the champion of the 2022 AFCON, and we consider this case to be closed."
The AFCON final controversy has sparked a heated debate within the African football community, with many questioning the integrity of the refereeing and the decision-making process. As Senegal continues to fight the ruling, the final outcome of the tournament remains uncertain, with the potential for further appeals and legal battles ahead.
Source: Al Jazeera
