DAKAR/RABAT — Senegal’s football federation says it will not appeal disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football after volatile scenes in the Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Morocco, despite earlier indications that the government wanted the punishments challenged.
CAF’s disciplinary board on Thursday handed Pape Thiaw a five-match suspension from CAF competitions and a $100,000 fine, describing his actions as “unsporting.” The sanctions stem from a late flashpoint in January’s final in Rabat, when Thiaw urged his players to leave the pitch after a key decision went against Senegal, triggering a prolonged stoppage before play resumed.
CAF also imposed two-match bans on Senegal forwards Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr for unsporting behaviour toward the referee. In addition, Senegal’s federation was fined over the team’s conduct and the behaviour of its supporters, part of a broader set of penalties issued to both finalists after the match-day disorder.
In a statement, the Senegalese Football Federation said it would assume full financial responsibility for the fines imposed on it, its technical staff and its players, while stressing it remained committed to defending its “legitimate rights and interests” within African football’s governing structures. The federation added that the decision not to appeal reflected a desire to respect CAF’s rules and uphold the integrity of the continental game.
The ruling closes off an immediate legal fight over the sanctions, but the incident has renewed scrutiny of match control and disciplinary standards at the tournament’s highest-stakes moment—especially with major international events approaching on the continent.
