The president of the Confederation of African Football has dismissed allegations of corruption raised by the Senegal government following the controversial decision to strip the nation of its AFCON title and award it to Morocco.
Speaking in Morocco, Patrice Motsepe firmly denied any wrongdoing and challenged critics to pursue legal action if they believed corruption had occurred.
“If anybody wants to initiate legal action alleging that there is corruption in CAF, I don’t only welcome that, I encourage them,” he said.
“There’s nothing to hide. We respect enormously the judicial and legal sovereignty of every single one of our 54 nations on the African continent.
“I’m confident that whatever the decision of CAS will say, we will respect it and we will implement it,” he added, referencing the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Motsepe’s remarks come at a tense moment for CAF after its unexpected ruling to overturn Senegal’s 1-0 victory over Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final held on January 18.
The football body cited competition rules relating to teams leaving the pitch, ultimately awarding a 3-0 win to Morocco on March 17.
The controversy stems from an incident during the match in Rabat, where Senegalese players, along with head coach Pape Thiaw and his technical crew, walked off the field after Morocco were awarded a penalty in added time. The penalty, taken by forward Brahim Diaz, was missed.
In response to the ruling, the Senegalese Football Federation has filed an appeal with CAS, seeking a review of CAF’s decision.
The development has triggered strong reactions in Senegal, with government officials calling for an independent international investigation into what they describe as suspected corruption within CAF.
What you should know
CAF’s decision to overturn Senegal’s AFCON victory and award the title to Morocco has sparked major controversy across African football.
The ruling followed Senegal’s walk-off during the final after a disputed penalty decision. Senegal has challenged the outcome at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while its government is pushing for an investigation into alleged corruption.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has denied all allegations and expressed confidence in the legal process.
The final outcome now depends on CAS, whose decision will determine whether the title change stands or is reversed.
