The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed sweeping sanctions on Senegal and Morocco following chaotic scenes during the Cup of Nations final, suspending Senegal coach Pape Thiaw for five matches and fining him $100,000 for “unsporting conduct.”
CAF said on Thursday that Thiaw was punished for instructing his players to leave the pitch late in the final against hosts Morocco after a Senegal goal was disallowed, triggering a 14-minute stoppage in play.
Senegal’s football federation was also fined $615,000 over the team’s conduct and the behaviour of their supporters. Players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each handed two-match CAF suspensions for unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
Morocco not spared
Morocco’s attempt to have the match result overturned because of the walk-off was dismissed by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee.
Senegal went on to win the final through Pape Gueye’s extra-time strike.
The hosts were not spared punishment. CAF fined Morocco a total of $315,000 for the conduct of ball boys, the behaviour of players and staff in the Video Assistant Review area, and the use of lasers by supporters.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match CAF suspension, with one match suspended for a year, while Ismael Saibari was banned for three CAF games. Both were sanctioned for unsporting conduct after attempting to remove a pitch-side towel protecting Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from heavy rain.
The flashpoint-filled final came after a dramatic sequence in which Senegal were denied a goal, Morocco were then awarded a penalty minutes later — ultimately missed by Brahim Diaz — and tensions boiled over across the pitch.
Despite the disorder, CAF said the tournament as a whole had been a success, generating record revenues for the governing body.
