Patrice Motsepe has voiced concerns over declining confidence in refereeing and disciplinary decisions within the Confederation of African Football, warning that some rulings are losing the trust and credibility essential to the sport.
The controversy centers on a disputed Africa Cup final between Senegal and Morocco in January. The match was disrupted when Senegalese players briefly walked off the pitch following a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco after a Senegal goal had been disallowed, while clashes erupted between fans and stewards.
Play eventually resumed, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal secured victory in extra time. However, CAF’s disciplinary board later imposed over $1 million in fines on both federations and suspended Senegal’s coach and several players, while initially maintaining the result.
In a major reversal, CAF’s appeals board ruled in March that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the field without authorization, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory. Motsepe defended the decision, despite growing criticism across the football community.
The dispute has now reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport, after the Senegalese Football Federation filed an appeal seeking to overturn the ruling.
Motsepe also met with Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has openly supported the national team following the controversy.
As the case moves forward, it places African football governance under intense scrutiny, with the final decision expected to have significant implications for transparency, fairness, and institutional credibility across the continent.
Source: AfricaNews
