Rabat – The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced today its decision to appeal the rulings issued by the CAF Disciplinary Committee regarding the chaotic events that disrupted the AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal.
According to FRMF, the sanctions communicated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary committee fall far short of addressing the severity of what took place during the final between Morocco and Senegal on January 18.
In its statement, the FRMF stressed that the final was marked by the withdrawal of Senegalese players and staff from the pitch, followed by attempts by Senegalese supporters to storm the stadium.
It explained that such acts resulted in chaos, property damage, and clashes requiring security intervention.
Despite the documented disorder, the sanctions imposed did not reflect the weight of these violations, FRMF said.
“Given that the sanctions… do not correspond to the gravity and the seriousness of these incidents… and to safeguard all rights guaranteed by law, the Royal Moroccan Federation has decided to appeal these rulings,” FRMF said.
The statement also recalled that FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa conveyed the federation’s position in an official letter to the CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
In a shocking turn of events, the CAF Disciplinary Board last week rejected Morocco’s protest over Senegal’s violations of CAF regulations, despite Articles 82 and 84 explicitly sanctioning teams that abandon the pitch.
The chaotic AFCON 2025 final saw Senegalese fans attempting to storm the stadium, destroying seats and even using them as weapons against security personnel. Amid the turmoil, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw encouraged his players to leave the field, triggering a tense standoff that lasted several minutes. The team eventually returned only after appeals from Sadio Mané, former players, and observers.
The interruptions disrupted Morocco’s rhythm and momentum, ultimately costing the Atlas Lions their chance to secure a long-awaited second continental trophy in 50 years.
In a surprising decision, CAF handed what many described as light sanctions against Senegal. The sanctions included suspension of Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw for five CAF official games, with a fine of $100,000 for conduct described as damaging to the game’s integrity.
Two players, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr, each received two-match bans for their behavior toward the referee. Senegal’s federation was fined a total of $615,000 for supporter misconduct, unsporting conduct by players and staff, and accumulated cautions.
What many see as more provocative is the sanctions handed against FRMF, following accusations that some team members were involved in heated exchanges with match officials.
Moroccan players Achraf Hakimi and Ismaël Saibari received a two-match ban (with one match suspended) and a three-match ban, respectively, with Saibari also fined $100,000. The FRMF was further fined for ball-boy misconduct, VAR-area obstruction by players and staff, and laser use by supporters — bringing Morocco’s total financial penalties to $ 315,000.
