Senegal have officially lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following the stunning decision to strip the nation of its Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the title had been awarded to Morocco almost two months after a controversial final was eventually won by Senegal thanks to Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner.
However, that came following remarkable scenes that saw Senegal refuse to play after tournament hosts Morocco were awarded a highly contentious penalty in stoppage time.
After a delay of around 17 minutes, Senegal’s players returned to the pitch, and Brahim Diaz’s ill-advised Panenka was saved, forcing extra time.
Fury turned to unbridled joy for Senegal following Gueye’s winner, but CAF stripped them of the title following an appeal by Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has moved to have the CAF decision quashed and the original result reinstated. As part of their filing, the FSF is also requesting a freeze on the deadline to submit their full appeal brief until CAF provides the “full grounds” and reasoning behind their initial ruling.
CAS has confirmed the process is underway but noted that the complexity of international sports law makes a quick fix unlikely. Due to the strict procedural rules regarding how and when both sides submit their evidence, the court stated it was “not possible to anticipate a procedural timeline and to indicate when a hearing will be scheduled.”
CAS director general Matthieu Reeb addressed the situation in a formal statement.
He said: “CAS is perfectly equipped to resolve this type of dispute, with the assistance of expert and independent arbitrators.
“We understand that teams and fans are eager to know the final decision, and we will ensure that arbitration proceedings are conducted as swiftly as possible, while respecting the right of all parties to a fair hearing.”
