- Senegal risk fines and suspensions after players briefly walked off during the AFCON final
- Coach Pape Thiaw could face disciplinary action for instructing the protest
- The Senegalese FA is preparing appeals up to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if needed
Senegal is still celebrating a second Africa Cup of Nations title, but the glow of victory has been clouded by the threat of disciplinary action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The dramatic 1-0 extra-time win over Morocco was overshadowed by chaotic scenes late in regulation time, when head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to temporarily leave the pitch in protest against controversial refereeing decisions.
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Morocco has now filed a formal complaint to CAF and FIFA, and Senegal now finds itself preparing a legal and administrative defence even as it enjoys continental glory.
Refereeing controversy that sparked the protest
The incident came during a frantic end in normal time.
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala first disallowed a Senegal goal scored by Ismaïla Sarr for what was widely viewed as a soft foul on Achraf Hakimi. Crucially, the decision was not reviewed by VAR.
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Moments later, Ndala was advised to consult the monitor for a challenge involving Brahim Diaz and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
After the review, he awarded a penalty to Morocco. The decision sparked fury on the Senegal bench, with coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to leave the field in protest.
Although Senegal eventually returned to play, the interruption lasted several minutes and plunged the final into disorder.
As reported by CAF Online, Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Pape Gueye later scored the winning goal in extra time, sealing Senegal’s second AFCON crown.
Still, the walk-off has become the central issue in Morocco’s complaint.
CAF sanctions and risks for Senegal
CAF has already condemned the conduct witnessed during the final and confirmed that its disciplinary committee is reviewing reports, footage, and match officials’ statements.
Under competition regulations, leaving the pitch without authorisation can be interpreted as misconduct or even withdrawal, depending on circumstances.
That exposes Senegal to possible heavy fines and potential suspensions for individuals involved.
Coach Pape Thiaw, in particular, is under scrutiny for directing the protest. Observers believe CAF may impose a symbolic but firm punishment to deter similar actions in future tournaments.
There is precedent for strong disciplinary measures. Algeria were heavily fined earlier in the competition for crowd trouble and post-match incidents, and CAF has consistently stressed zero tolerance for behaviour that disrupts matches.
Senegal’s legal strategy and planned defence
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has already begun preparing its response, Sport News Africa reports.
Abdoulaye Fall, a senior federation official, confirmed that Senegal had raised concerns about the officiating even before kick-off and sent formal correspondence to FIFA during the match.
FSF officials argue that their protest stemmed from a “succession of critical refereeing errors” and that the team ultimately respected the rules by returning to the field.
They also insist the walk-off was temporary and not an attempt to abandon the match.
Senegal plans to submit factual arguments to CAF’s disciplinary committee and is confident in their case. If sanctions are imposed, they are prepared to appeal within CAF’s judicial bodies.
Should that fail, the FSF is ready to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, and potentially even Switzerland’s federal court.
Despite the firm stance, Senegal is also considering sending a letter of apology to CAF to acknowledge the emotional reaction of their coach while defending the reasons behind it.
Footage shows what referees told Mane
In a related event, Legit.ng reported that footage has emerged online disclosing what the match officials told Sadio Mane after the controversial AFCON 2025 final.
Mane saved the officials’ blushes by recalling his teammates, and they acknowledged this in their comments to him during the post-match pleasantries.