The Moroccan Football Federation has formally reported incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA following protests during the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat.
In a statement issued on Monday, the federation said Senegal’s protests during added time of normal play on Sunday night led to a near 20-minute stoppage after players walked off the pitch in anger over a penalty awarded to Morocco. The disruption was compounded by unrest in the stands, where some Senegalese supporters reportedly threw chairs and other objects and attempted to access the field of play.
According to the Moroccan federation, the incidents “had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players’ performance.” Morocco subsequently missed the penalty, which could have secured the Atlas Lions their first AFCON title in 50 years.
The federation said it would pursue legal procedures with CAF and FIFA to rule on Senegal’s temporary withdrawal from the pitch and the events surrounding the decision. It also insisted that the referee’s decision to award the penalty was “deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned what he described as “unacceptable scenes” involving some Senegalese players. Meanwhile, several Moroccan media outlets criticised Senegal for what they termed a lack of fair play and unsporting behaviour.
The AFCON final was eventually completed after play resumed, with Senegal going on to score the decisive goal in extra time.
