Revealed On 29 Mar 2026
Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe says he’ll “respect” the choice by the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Senegal’s attraction in opposition to being stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
“I’ll respect and implement the CAS choice. My private opinion concerning the matter is irrelevant,” Motsepe advised reporters in Cairo on Sunday.
The Senegal attraction got here after the CAF appeals physique overturned a 1-0 win by Senegal over hosts Morocco within the AFCON ultimate final month.
Many Senegalese gamers, head coach Pape Thiaw, and his employees walked off the pitch in Rabat after Morocco have been awarded an added-time penalty.
After they returned, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty. And Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored in further time to win the title decider.
A CAF disciplinary committee later fined numerous figures from each groups, however didn’t alter the outcome.
Morocco then appealed, and have been awarded a 3-0 victory. Motsepe burdened that the attraction board consists of impartial judges and attorneys.
When Senegal performed Peru in a 2026 World Cup warm-up in Paris on Saturday, they paraded the Cup of Nations trophy.
Senegal then performed in shirts with two stars – one for his or her first Cup of Nations triumph in 2022 and the opposite for his or her disputed February victory.
Motsepe mentioned that he would go to Senegal and Morocco, with out giving dates, to emphasize the significance of “working collectively to develop African soccer” and that CAF would implement modifications and enhancements to its statutes and rules to make sure that the farcical scenes will not be repeated.
The CAF president mentioned the modifications would strengthen belief and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial our bodies, however didn’t give concrete particulars.
An announcement mentioned CAF “is implementing modifications and enhancements to their statutes and rules that can strengthen belief and confidence in [African] referees, VAR operators and judicial our bodies.
“These modifications and enhancements to the statutes and rules will even be sure that the incidents that came about on the ultimate… don’t occur once more.”
Controversial determine Veron Mosengo-Omba quits CAF
Motsepe later introduced that Nigeria-born CAF official Samson Adamu would develop into the caretaker common secretary of the Cairo-based organisation instead of retiring Veron Mosengo-Omba.
Mosengo-Omba, a former FIFA official born within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has reached the necessary retirement age of 66 for CAF employees and resigned after repeated requires his elimination at a turbulent time for the sport within the continent.
There was a swell of latest criticism of his staying on as common secretary effectively previous the organisation’s necessary retirement age of 63, largely on social media but in addition from members of CAF’s govt committee.
“After over 30 years of a global skilled profession devoted to selling a perfect type of soccer that brings individuals collectively, educates, and creates alternatives for hope, I’ve determined to step down from my place as Secretary Common of CAF to dedicate myself to extra private tasks,” Mossengo-Omba mentioned in an announcement.
“Now that I’ve been in a position to dispel the suspicions that some individuals have gone to nice lengths to forged on me, I can retire with peace of thoughts and with out constraint, leaving the CAF extra affluent than ever,” he added.
Mossengo-Omba has been a divisive determine at CAF, accused by some staff of making a poisonous ambiance on the office, though an investigation after employees complaints cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The 66-year-old is of Congolese origin however a Swiss citizen and former FIFA worker who was a college buddy of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Though the assertion mentioned he was retiring, Mossengo-Omba’s assertion was contradicted by Motsepe.
“He advised me he has been requested by the DR Congo president to go and assist with soccer improvement in that nation,” mentioned Motsepe.
