Eighteen Senegalese football fans convicted of hooliganism in Rabat are challenging their prison sentences in an appeals court following a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final in January. A Moroccan court originally sentenced the group to terms ranging from three to 12 months for their roles in a pitch invasion that marred the tournament’s conclusion.
On Monday, an appeals court in Rabat upheld the initial convictions despite arguments from the defense. Prosecutors had pushed for even harsher penalties, citing the high-profile nature of the incident.
Challenging the Evidence
The defense team argues that the defendants are innocent of the charges. Lawyer Naima El Guellaf requested that the court review video footage of the match to verify the identities of the 18 individuals currently in custody. She contends that the footage will prove the men were not the primary instigators of the disruption.
“The entire world saw these terrible images live,” the prosecution argued, rejecting the request for a video review. They maintain that the fans were caught in the act of inciting disorder during the match, which Senegal won 1-0.
Defense lawyer Patrick Kabou offered a different perspective on the events, suggesting the court has the wrong people in custody. “There have been mistakes; the people involved in what happened are currently in Senegal and are not present here,” Kabou told the AFP news agency.
The defendants testified that they entered the pitch involuntarily. They claimed they were pushed forward by a surging crowd or were attempting to escape projectiles and spitting directed at them from the stands. They denied that their actions were a protest against the referee, despite the high tensions surrounding the match.
The legal fallout extends beyond individual arrests. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of their 1-0 victory last month, awarding the championship title to Morocco instead. The Senegalese Football Federation has since instructed its legal team to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to contest that decision.
Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, has publicly criticized the Moroccan court’s handling of the fans. The judge in the appeals case has not yet ruled on the request to screen the match footage, leaving the 18 men in detention as the legal battle continues.