The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, arrived in Dakar on Wednesday, nearly a month after the football body’s controversial decision to strip Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.
Motsepe had announced the visit at the end of March, saying he would travel to both countries to emphasise the importance of cooperation in strengthening African football amid mounting criticism directed at CAF.
During the trip, Motsepe is expected to meet with Senegal’s president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, at the presidential palace, followed by a press conference.
The visit comes at a particularly tense time for CAF following its surprise decision to overturn Senegal’s 1–0 victory over Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final played on January 18 in Rabat.
CAF ruled on March 17 that Senegal had breached regulations after players and officials walked off the pitch in protest when Morocco were awarded a penalty deep into added time.
The penalty, taken by Moroccan forward Brahim Diaz, was ultimately missed. However, CAF later cited rules regarding abandonment of matches and recorded the result as a 3–0 victory in Morocco’s favour.
Senegal’s team, led by head coach Pape Thiaw, had left the field after the controversial decision, triggering one of the most disputed rulings in recent African football history.
The Senegalese Football Federation has since appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The ruling has sparked strong reactions within Senegal, with the government calling for an international investigation into alleged corruption within CAF.
Addressing the controversy last month, Motsepe stated that CAF would respect the outcome of the legal appeal.
“I will respect and implement the CAS decision. My personal opinion regarding the matter is irrelevant,” he said.
