'Independence is reflected by the decisions' – CAF president Motsepe defends conflicting rulings on Senegal AFCON dispute

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has defended the governing body's controversial handling of the Senegal-Morocco AFCON title dispute, pointing to the conflicting outcomes from CAF's disciplinary bodies as proof of institutional independence.

Speaking in response to widespread backlash following CAF's decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco, Motsepe highlighted the divergent rulings as evidence that each body operates without external interference.

"The independence is reflected by the decisions that were taken by the two bodies. The CAF Disciplinary Board took one decision. The CAF Appeals Board took a totally different decision," Motsepe said.

The unprecedented ruling, delivered on March 17, 2026, saw CAF's Appeal Board uphold Morocco's protest and declare the Atlas Lions 3-0 winners of the final, stripping Senegal of the title they won on the pitch in January.

The decision centred on Senegal's 17-minute walk-off during stoppage time in the final, when players left the field to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation has described the ruling as "iniquitous, unprecedented and unacceptable", vowing to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Federation Secretary General Abdoulaye Seydou Sow has declared that "the fight is far from over", insisting the law is on Senegal's side.

Motsepe welcomed the impending appeal, stating that every African nation has the right to pursue legal recourse at the highest level.

The CAF president acknowledged that the chaotic scenes during the January 18 final in Rabat exposed deeper issues within African football, describing it as a "legacy issue" of suspicion and mistrust.

However, he defended the composition of CAF's judicial bodies, noting they include respected legal practitioners from across the continent.