Patrice Motsepe has come out strongly in defence of the Confederation of African Football following intense criticism over the decision to strip the Senegal national football team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
In a video statement, the CAF president insisted that the organisation’s legal bodies acted independently and must be respected.
“It is important that the decisions of our Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board are viewed with respect and integrity,” Motsepe stated.
He highlighted that the panels are made up of experienced legal experts across Africa, stressing that their independence is crucial in ensuring fairness in football governance.
The controversy follows the AFCON final played in January, where Senegal initially defeated the Morocco national football team 1-0 after extra time.
However, the match was marred by a dramatic incident in which Senegal players walked off the pitch for over 17 minutes in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
After reviewing the events, CAF ruled that Senegal had breached its disciplinary regulations, leading to the decision to overturn the result and award Morocco a 3-0 victory.
Motsepe acknowledged the backlash that has followed the ruling and admitted that concerns about CAF’s credibility still exist.
“We will still have to deal with this perception and concerns about the integrity. It’s an ongoing issue,” he admitted.
Despite the criticism, the CAF president maintained that the organisation’s processes meet high legal and ethical standards and must be protected from external influence.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, setting up what could become a landmark legal battle in African football.