The saga surrounding the CAN 2025 title remains far from resolution. Two months following the final, the CAF controversially awarded the championship to Morocco via a technical decision, a ruling fiercely contested by Senegal at the Tribunal arbitral du sport. Now, a prominent member of the CAF’s appeal jury has unveiled startling revelations, casting further doubt on the process.
In an interview with L’Observateur, the vice-president of the commission openly challenges the sanction ratified by the Confédération africaine de football. « I profoundly disagree with the decision », declared Faustino Varela Monteiro, disclosing that he was the sole individual to oppose this devastating verdict for the Lions de la Teranga.
« I cannot endorse the interpretation that guided this outcome, the official continued. When the referee allows a match to proceed to its conclusion, it seems to confirm that no abandonment occurred. Therefore, for a disciplinary body to conclude otherwise introduces a fundamental break with the spirit of sport. »
internal dissent challenges caf’s ruling
« Furthermore, if the progression of a match can be altered retrospectively, then the very concept of a final decision loses all meaning, » he added, before noting that « the TAS will not re-examine a decision made on the field unless there is compelling evidence of arbitrariness or bad faith in that stance. »
To recall the original event, on January 18 in Rabat, Senegal secured a 1-0 victory in extra time with a goal from Pape Gueye. The match had been interrupted for nearly fifteen minutes when Pape Thiaw’s players left the pitch in protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco during added time, which Brahim Diaz subsequently missed.
