The decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip Senegal of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco is far from being resolved.
After CAF's announcement on Tuesday, the secretary-general of the Senegalese federation, Abdoulaye Sow, assured that they will appeal and will not return the trophy:
"The reactions around the world after this decision confirm a total outrage. The trophy will not leave the country," said Sow.
Echoing the official’s stance, but in a more defiant tone, Lyon defender Moussa Niakhaté spoke out on Instagram.
"Come and get [the trophy]," he wrote in a photo where he appears holding the trophy.
In an official statement, the Senegalese Federation said the decision is "unacceptable" and that they will appeal.
Remember the controversy
The players and coaching staff left the pitch after a penalty was awarded to Morocco in the last minute of regular time and refused to return, questioning the referee’s decision.
Minutes later, encouraged by Sadio Mané, the Senegalese returned, and Morocco missed the penalty.
In extra time, Pape Gueye scored the title-winning goal for Senegal.
Tuesday’s decision, however, ruled that Senegal had abandoned the match and confirmed Morocco’s victory by forfeit, 3-0.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
