The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between Morocco and Senegal has become the subject of renewed scrutiny, with fresh doubts surfacing following comments by South African businessman Patrice Motsepe. Motsepe’s recent public appearance has reignited discussions surrounding the controversial match, which took place in Rabat in January and is currently under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The controversy is centered on an incident during the match where Senegal players temporarily walked off the pitch in protest. Despite the significant disruption caused by this action, no additional disciplinary sanctions were imposed at the time, including for players who had already been cautioned. This decision has been particularly questioned, given the scale of the on-field chaos.
In a recent press conference, Motsepe sidestepped direct questions about allegations of instructions given to the referee regarding the handling of yellow cards, instead directing the query to CAF’s secretary general. This move has drawn criticism, as the secretary general’s response did little to quell the speculation, merely confirming that the governing body is “following an ongoing procedure” without explicitly confirming or denying the claims.
The possible involvement of referee Olivier Safari has also been mentioned in reports, though no official confirmation has been provided. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding the match has cast a shadow over the 2025 AFCON and the governance of African football.
Despite CAF previously clearing match officials of wrongdoing, legal proceedings are ongoing, and many questions remain unanswered. The lack of definitive explanations from CAF leadership is keeping the controversy alive, casting a long shadow over the final match of the tournament.
Source: moroccoworldnews
Original author: Farah Ben Gamra
