The President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, has defended the body’s controversial decision to strip Senegal national football team of their Africa Cup of Nations title.
Senegal, popularly known as the Lions of Teranga, had initially secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco national football team in the final held in Rabat in January. However, CAF’s Appeals Board later overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 default victory.
Speaking on the matter, Motsepe explained that the differing rulings by CAF’s judicial bodies demonstrate the independence of the organization’s legal processes.
According to him, CAF deliberately appoints judges and legal experts from across its 54 member nations to ensure neutrality, fairness, and integrity in decision-making.
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“The CAF disciplinary board took one decision. The CAF appeals board took a totally different position, and I’m told that Senegal is going to appeal, which is very important,” Motsepe stated.
Senegal has strongly rejected the ruling, calling for an independent international investigation into what it described as “suspected corruption” within CAF.
Motsepe, however, reaffirmed CAF’s commitment to due process, noting that member nations have the right to escalate disputes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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He emphasized that CAF would fully respect any verdict delivered by the global sports tribunal.
“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential or more favourable than any other,” he added.
The CAF president also acknowledged ongoing concerns about officiating and governance across African football, describing them as long-standing challenges.
Despite the controversy, Motsepe stressed that CAF’s ultimate goal remains ensuring that football fans across the continent perceive its decisions as fair, credible, and transparent.
