Senegal and Morocco will know within days who will be recognised as champions of the Africa Cup of Nations after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) concluded its hearing into one of African football’s most contentious title disputes.
The three-member CAS panel heard Senegal’s appeal in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday, with CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb saying a reasoned decision is expected “a few days later”.
The ruling will determine whether Senegal’s victory in January’s AFCON final is restored or whether Morocco retain the title awarded to them by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the original result was overturned.
“I expect the decision to come not today, not tomorrow, but a few days later,” Reeb said after the hearing.
“The facts are set, are clear and the discussions will be on some procedural issues and legal aspects.”
The dispute dates back to the final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the tournament on the pitch.
The match was thrown into controversy late in regulation time when Senegal’s players temporarily left the field after Morocco were awarded a penalty.
The players eventually returned and the match continued after Morocco failed to convert the spot kick. Senegal then scored in extra time to secure the 1-0 victory.
Two months later, however, CAF’s Appeals Board overturned the result, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match because of the walk-off and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory.
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Morocco were subsequently recognised as AFCON champions, while Senegal appealed the decision to CAS.
The Senegalese challenge places particular importance on the authority of referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, whose decision allowed the match to resume after the players returned to the pitch.
Senegal’s case also centres on the application of the Laws of the Game and whether CAF’s disciplinary and appeals bodies had the authority to overturn a result that had been determined on the field.
The CAS hearing was held behind closed doors, with lawyers representing Senegal, Morocco and CAF.
The panel was chaired by French sports law expert Gérald Simon, with Italian international law professor Luigi Fumagalli and Hamburg based lawyer and professor of law Ulrich Haas completing the panel.
The case has dragged on for almost nine months since the final, leaving the identity of the recognised AFCON champion at the centre of an unprecedented legal dispute.
CAF also imposed more than $1 million in fines on the two federations, players and Senegal coach Pape Thiaw in connection with the fallout from the final.
Senegal’s delegation emerged from Thursday’s hearing confident of its case.
“We are confident, but the important thing is that sports law is upheld and that this particular match is put to bed, for the sake of dignity and for Africa,” Senegal Football Federation general secretary Abdoulaye Sow said.
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Morocco’s representatives did not speak to the media after the hearing.
But CAS has confirmed that the wait is almost over. Within days, African football should finally know whether Senegal’s victory on the pitch will be restored or Morocco’s subsequent recognition as champions will stand.
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