In a surprising turn of events, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has robustly denied any corruption allegations levelled against the organization by the Senegalese government. This comes in the wake of CAF’s controversial decision to strip Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco. Speaking in Morocco on Thursday, Motsepe expressed his willingness to face any legal action that may arise from the allegations. “.
I don’t only welcome that, I encourage anyone who wants to initiate legal action alleging corruption in CAF, “Motsepe declared, emphasizing the organization’s transparency. He also stressed the respect CAF has for the judicial and legal sovereignty of all 54 African nations, including Senegal.
The backdrop to Motsepe’s remarks is the tense situation surrounding the AFCON final on January 18, where Senegal was defeated 1-0 by Morocco. However, CAF later overturned the decision, citing regulations about leaving the field and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory on March 17. This was after Senegalese players, along with head coach Pape Thiaw and his staff, walked off the pitch in Rabat in protest of an added-time penalty awarded to Morocco, which was ultimately missed by forward Brahim Diaz.
The Senegalese Football Federation has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), prompting a strong response from the Senegalese government. They have called for an international investigation into the suspected corruption within CAF. Despite the allegations, Motsepe remains confident in the outcome of any legal proceedings. “I’m confident that whatever the decision of CAS will say, we will respect it and implement it, “he concluded.
Source: aljazeera
Original author: AFP
