Senegal’s football authorities have rejected a controversial ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), describing the decision as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable” as they move to escalate the matter to global arbitration.
In a strongly worded statement issued shortly after the verdict, officials confirmed they will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), widely regarded as the highest legal authority in world sport.
Senegal said all internal appeal channels within CAF had already been exhausted, leaving international arbitration as the only remaining option.
At the centre of the dispute is a decision by CAF’s Appeals Committee, which concluded that Senegal had effectively abandoned the match in question.
That interpretation has been firmly rejected by Senegal, which insists that play resumed and continued within the remaining regulation time.
Observers have pointed out that the interruption lasted less than the 15 minutes typically required to complete the match, and that additional time including extra time was reportedly played, further complicating the basis of CAF’s conclusion.
The dispute now appears headed for a full legal review at CAS, where arbitrators will examine both the procedural handling of the case and the interpretation of events on the pitch.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
Sports law experts say the outcome could set a significant precedent for how match interruptions and abandonment rulings are handled in African competitions.
READ ALSO:breaking-news-senegal-forfeit-afcon-2025-final-as-caf-award-morocco-3-0-victory
The controversy comes amid increasing scrutiny of refereeing standards, match management and governance within African football.
