Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe arrived in Dakar on Tuesday to meet with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The visit follows the governing body’s controversial decision to strip Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations title and award the victory to Morocco.
Motsepe announced the diplomatic tour in late March. He stated his intention to visit both Senegal and Morocco to promote cooperation, even as his organization faces intense scrutiny from regional football federations.
A dispute over a walk-off
The tension stems from the January 18 final, where Senegal initially defeated Morocco 1-0. During the match, Senegalese players, head coach Pape Thiaw, and his staff walked off the pitch in Rabat. The protest occurred after officials awarded Morocco an added-time penalty, which forward Brahim Diaz ultimately missed.
On March 17, CAF overturned the result. Citing regulations regarding teams leaving the field, the organization retroactively declared a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation has formally appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Furthermore, the Senegalese government has demanded an international investigation into the governing body, citing suspicions of institutional corruption.
Motsepe addressed the mounting pressure during a press conference last month. He insisted that he would abide by the legal outcome of the appeal.
“I will respect and implement the CAS decision,” Motsepe said. “My personal opinion regarding the matter is irrelevant.”
President Faye is scheduled to host Motsepe at the presidential palace later today. The two leaders are expected to hold a news conference following their private discussions to address the ongoing fallout from the tournament final.
