Senegal cries ‘corruption’ over Afcon debacle

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The Senegalese government has called for an investigation into “suspected corruption” after its men’s football team was stripped of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, which was instead handed to the hosts, Morocco. Senegal walked off the pitch for 17 minutes during the final to protest a penalty before they went on to win the game 1-0. Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA, and two months after the match, the Confederation of African Football stripped Senegal of the victory on Tuesday. The governing body has cited regulations that cover a refusal to play and a failure to complete a match without the referee’s permission. But the decision by the referee to continue the final after the walk-off complicates this argument, as does the length of time it took to overturn the result. It could take a further six months for a ruling on Senegal’s counter-appeal.