I don’t think there’s been a discussion that has overridden or taken over the headlines ahead of the war in the Middle East between Iran and of course Israel and the USA.
Until yesterday night when Confederation of African Football decided to make one of the most craziest rulings the world has ever seen in regard to sport but specifically football world football but let’s be more exact African football.
I mean there’s been so much that has been done by CAF over the years including what you would consider as misappropriation of resources some silly rulings like the one of Togo national football team when their bus was shot at they decided to return home and CAF banned them.
The decision definitely lacked humanity because when certain things like those do happen you’ve got to understand where individuals are coming from but that was forgotten quite quick and it needed intervention from FIFA to sort that mess out.
But even with all that, this one will forever be remembered.
And maybe it also explains why the decision was made in the night, when the biggest part of Africa was asleep. Those who were awake saw it immediately, others woke up to what can only be described as a disgusting, shocking, almost joke of a decision.
CAF have decided to declare Morocco, the hosts of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as champions. That’s after Senegal had beaten them one nil in the final, handed over the medals and lifted the trophy.
Let’s get this right. That trophy was handed over by the president of FIFA alongside the CAF president Patrice Motsepe with the King of Morocco present. Senegal were champions.
Before that, Senegal had a goal ruled out involving Achraf Hakimi that honestly should have stood. Later Morocco get a penalty, a fair one I think, when Brahim Diaz is brought down. Senegal walk off. We all know that part.
But what CAF are choosing to ignore is what happened next.
After about 15 to 17 minutes, after all the chaos, after Sadio Mane and others convinced the team, Senegal came back. The game resumed. The penalty was saved by Edouard Mendy and then Pape Gueye scores the winner.
Final whistle. Game done.
Now CAF are quoting Articles 82 and 84. Abandonment. Forfeiture. 3-0.
But how do you apply abandonment to a game that was completed?
That’s the question.
Because in any basic understanding of football rules, once the referee blows that final whistle, that result stands. That’s backed by IFAB laws. What we saw was a stoppage, not an abandonment.
And CAF have been here before.
In 2019, during the CAF Champions League Final 2019, Wydad Casablanca refused to continue over a VAR issue and Esperance were awarded the win in chaotic fashion. That was heavily criticised.
But even that does not compare to this.
Because this time you are rewriting a finished match.
Senegal lifted that trophy. Celebrated. Went home as champions. And now weeks later someone decides actually no, you forfeited.
That is unprecedented.
And the sad part is this was actually a brilliant tournament. One of the best we’ve seen. The facilities, the organisation, the quality of football Africa had to offer, everything pointed to growth, to progress. But all of that might never be remembered now because of this one decision.
You’ve handed ammunition to every critic of African football. People like Jamie Carragher who have questioned AFCON now have something to point at. And for once, it’s hard to argue back.
Especially with East Africa hosting next. You’ve created doubt before a ball is even kicked.
Senegal are heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if this gets there, it might not even be a difficult case. Because legally, how do you call this abandonment when the game continued and ended?
We’ve seen CAF forced to backtrack before, even in that Togo situation. This might go the same way.
But even if it does, the damage is already done.
Reputation doesn’t reset overnight.
And that’s the frustrating thing because there has been progress under Motsepe. Prize money has gone up. Competitions are improving. But one decision like this wipes all that goodwill away.
We wouldn’t be here debating whether a finished match was abandoned if proper thought was put into this.
We wouldn’t be here explaining basic football logic.
But here we are.
So congratulations Morocco. Champions of Africa, courtesy of a boardroom decision.
And if you backed them, maybe call your betting company. CAF might have just done you a favour.
