Senegal is not resigned. Instead, the President of the Senegalese Federation Abdoulaye Fall, accompanied by several lawyers, held a press conference on Thursday in the 17th arrondissement of Paris to protest against Morocco’s victory on a green carpet in the final of the CAN in January and to announce that they would fight through legal means to keep their 2nd CAN after the one they won in 2021.
During the final, the Senegalese protested against the referee who awarded a penalty to the Moroccans during extra time and left the field. Returning to the field after about fifteen minutes, the Lions of Teranga were ultimately victorious in extra time (1-0).
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Wednesday that it had received Senegal’s appeal to challenge the decision of the African Football Confederation (CAF) appeals committee. At the start of the press conference, the Senegalese president set the tone. “The situation is serious! In the face of what appears to be the most blatant administrative hijack in the history of our sport, Senegal refuses to accept defeat. Our fight today goes beyond the simple green rectangle and sporting justice, it is about defending the honor of our players. We have appointed a team of seasoned professionals,” he declared.
“Our opponents want a poisoned medal. We will seek the causes of this poison, something that seems rotten to us and we call it criminal,” added Lawyer Pierre-Olivier Sur. Lawyer Seydou Diagne then stated, “No decision orders the return of trophies, medals, and bonuses.”
A team of six lawyers to defend their case in front of the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, pointed fingers at the role of the referee, who led the match to its end, and the conditions of the hearing during the appeals committee. “We will not present all our arguments today, we reserve them for the CAS,” said Lawyer Seydou Diagne. The decision could take time, between 9 and 12 months. “The idea is to request an expedited procedure,” announced Swiss lawyer Serge Vittoz. However, for this expedited procedure to be implemented, everyone must agree, he said. If there is an expedited procedure, we could imagine a decision within two months.”
On the other hand, the Senegalese government requested the opening of an independent international investigation last week. A complaint for corruption will also be filed. Facing the Tricolors in the World Cup this summer, Senegal is preparing to face Peru this Saturday at the Stade de France in a friendly match that will resemble a celebration. The presence of the trophy is announced.
