Audio By Carbonatix
Senegal plan to parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy before their game against Peru in Paris on Saturday, with the head of the country's Football Federation vowing a "crusade" against the decision to strip the team of the title.
The Lions of Teranga claimed their second Afcon title on 18 January, beating hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in a final that ended in chaotic scenes when the Senegal players walked off the pitch after their opponents were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the match goalless.
But last week the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned that result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory.
On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed receipt of Senegal's appeal against that decision, promising to rule "as swiftly as possible".
"Faced with what amounts to the most blatant and unprecedented administrative robbery in the history of our sport, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) refuses to accept this as inevitable," FSF president Abdoulaye Fall said at a media conference in the French capital.
Shortly before making his comments, FSF social media posted a timetable for events around Saturday's friendly at the Stade de France, which included a trophy parade.
"Senegal will not bend the knee and will not compromise its values," added Fall. "Our fight now transcends the football pitch."
Who has said what in Afcon row?
Following the controversial final in Rabat - in which Morocco and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz missed a Panenka penalty to win the match in the 114th minute - the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) immediately lodged a complaint with Caf and Fifa, claiming that Senegal leaving the field of play "greatly affected the normal course of the match and the players' morale".
Caf's disciplinary committee initially rejected that appeal, instead issuing sanctions against both sides, including a five-match ban for Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, on 29 January.
The FRMF said those original penalties did not "reflect the seriousness of the incidents", and Caf's appeal board agreed, releasing a statement on 17 March which said Senegal had contravened articles 82 and 84 of competition regulations.
Article 82 states that if a team "leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee", they are eliminated.
Senegal's government responded by calling for an investigation into "suspected corruption" at Caf, a claim rebuffed by the governing body's president, Patrice Motsepe, who has been at pains to point out the appeal board's independence.
"It is important that the decisions of our Caf disciplinary board and the Caf appeals board are viewed with respect and integrity," he said.
The final decision on who claims the 2025 Afcon title now rests with CAS, sport's highest judicial authority.
"To wage this moral and legal crusade, we have appointed a team of seasoned professionals with undeniable expertise," Fall announced in Paris, flanked by members of the FSF legal team.
One of them, lawyer Seydou Diagne, called the decision to strip Senegal of their title "so blatant, so absurd, so irrational".
"The decision of the appeals jury cannot even be considered a true decision of sporting justice," he added.
"It is an unacceptable and intolerable attack on the fundamental rights of our national Football Federation."
Fellow lawyer Juan Perez said: "A match that was over, whose result had been decided by the referee, now being re-refereed, administratively - that's unprecedented. You haven't seen anything like it. It could change the world of football."
Caf recently updated the Afcon 2025 review on its website to list Morocco as winners, although that page now appears to have been taken down.
With Senegal refusing to relinquish the trophy, and with Saturday's planned parade a sign of their contempt, the battle to be crowned African champions is far from over.
Latest Stories
-
EPA ban on ‘Takeaway Packs’: Good move, but long overdue and not enough
3 minutes -
2026 World Cup: ‘Don’t write off Ghana’ – Kwesi Nyantakyi on Black Stars chances
3 minutes -
The case for appointing a substantive Defence Minister; President Mahama must see the urgency
12 minutes -
Photos: President Mahama launches e-Visa portal
19 minutes -
GNFS trains Gambibgo health staff on fire safety
27 minutes -
Asante Kotoko target UK-born Ghanaian coach as club hunts for permanent manager
28 minutes -
China executes man for murdering prominent gaming tycoon
30 minutes -
Ghana’s energy challenges: ‘Déjà Vu’ all over again?
38 minutes -
Academics push for integration of climate science into basic education system
47 minutes -
Port cost reforms necessary, but must reflect collective interests
1 hour -
Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang joins Guyana Independence celebrations
1 hour -
Parliament launches ‘Mini Parliament’ to give children a voice in national decision-making
1 hour -
Ghana records over 7,000 obstetric fistula cases amid calls for better maternal healthcare
1 hour -
Heavy rains destroy bridge, cut off some communities in Wa West
1 hour -
Groupe Nduom has won one battle but the capital war continues
1 hour