The CAN 2025 final continues to generate intense debate and contention. Following the contentious ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeal jury on March 17, which awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory by default despite Senegal’s 1-0 on-field triumph, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).
Concurrently, a separate but equally sensitive case is unfolding. This involves 18 Senegalese supporters facing charges of hooliganism following disturbances during the final on January 18. Initially sentenced on February 19 to prison terms ranging from three months to one year, their appeal was heard this Monday in Rabat.
During the hearing, information emerged suggesting that those defendants who received three-month sentences could be released as early as next Saturday. Before the court, they maintained their innocence, denying all accusations. The prosecution, however, sought harsher penalties, recommending up to two years in prison, as reported by RMC. The charges against the supporters specifically include violence against law enforcement, pitch invasion, and throwing projectiles.
“there were errors”
The defense presented an alternative account. The supporters testified that they were forced onto the pitch due to a crowd surge or to avoid « spitting and projectile throwing, » rather than to protest an officiating decision. Patrick Kabou, one of their lawyers, stated to AFP, « There were errors; the individuals truly responsible for what occurred are in Senegal and are not present here. »
The proceedings were characterized by a significant procedural clash. The defense requested the release of video footage from the incidents to definitively identify the accused. This plea was dismissed by the prosecution, who cited the principle of flagrante delicto, asserting, « The entire world witnessed these distressing images live as they unfolded. »
