Dakar, Senegal — Senegal’s Foreign Minister, Cheikh Niang, has emphasized the nation’s commitment to resolving the contentious AFCON final incident involving 18 of its fans detained in Morocco.
The group faced charges of hooliganism and vandalism following disturbances at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, a situation that has strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Moroccan authorities convicted the fans, with sentences ranging from three months to one year.
In response to public outcry and criticism, Niang has assured that Senegal is actively engaging with Moroccan counterparts to address the matter. He acknowledged the emotional toll on the families of the detainees and the public’s discomfort with the situation. While some fans have been released following the completion of their sentences, 15 remain in custody.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has been vocal in its criticism of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for stripping Senegal of the AFCON title, a decision that the FSF has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Senegal’s government is pursuing a diplomatic resolution, aiming to restore normalcy and amity between the nations.
As Senegal seeks to move past the incident, the resolution of the remaining cases and the appeal of the AFCON title decision will be pivotal.
The outcome of these efforts will not only impact the relationship between Senegal and Morocco but also serve as a precedent for handling similar sports — related diplomatic incidents in the future.
*Additional reporting by ImNews*
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By This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: moroccoworldnews
Source: Safaa Kasraoui
