AFCON Fallout: Senegal Players Targeted on Social Media After CAF Awards Title to Morocco
- Senegal’s players have reportedly come under attack on social media after CAF retroactively awarded the AFCON title to Morocco
- The governing body defended its decision by citing two provisions in the competition’s regulations to overturn the result from two months ago
- Despite the setback, Senegal remains defiant and has confirmed plans to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
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The fallout from CAF’s decision to overturn the 2025 AFCON final has spilt onto social media, with several Senegal players reportedly subjected to online abuse.
The continent’s football governing body justified its ruling by citing Articles 82 and 84 of its regulations.
Source: Getty Images
The provisions state that any team that “refuses to play or leaves the field before the end of the match” is deemed to have forfeited the game and is subsequently eliminated from the competition.
That interpretation ultimately led to Senegal being stripped of the title and the trophy being handed to Morocco.
Senegal players targeted on social media
The decision by CAF - a first of its kind at this level - sparked an immediate backlash online, with several Senegal players becoming targets of social media abuse.
According to RMC Sport, personal phone numbers of some players were leaked and widely circulated, exposing them to harassment and relentless calls.
Reports further suggest that sections of Moroccan fans flooded players’ social media pages with provocative messages and GIFs, heightening tensions in the aftermath of the ruling.
Despite the backlash, members of the Senegal national football team have responded defiantly, expressing pride in their achievements on the pitch.
Habib Diarra, who plays in the Premier League for Sunderland, shared images of himself with the AFCON trophy alongside footage from the team’s open-top bus parade through Dakar.
Rayo Vallecano's Pathé Ciss posted a photo holding the trophy, adding five laughing emojis to convey disbelief and frustration.
Pape Demba Diop, who features for Toulouse FC, was more direct, writing on Instagram:
“I think we’re in a madhouse.”
Defender Moussa Niakhaté of Olympique Lyonnais also weighed in, sharing images - including one with the trophy - and captioning it:
“This is not AI. This is real,” capturing the disbelief within the squad.
Source: Getty Images
Senegal to challenge verdict at CAS
While CAF’s ruling stands within its structure, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has confirmed it will challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Football Federation denounces an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision that discredits African football,” the federation said on X.
“To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the Federation will initiate, as soon as possible, an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne."
Appeals at that level are often lengthy and complex, but they offer a path for federations seeking to overturn decisions they believe have been wrongly applied.
The 9-member panel that stripped Senegal of title
In a previous publication, YEN.com.gh examined the nine-member panel behind the unprecedented decision to revoke the title two months after it was awarded.
The Confederation of African Football Appeal Board serves as the confederation’s highest internal adjudicatory body, responsible for handling disputes related to competitions, disciplinary issues, and official rulings.
Source: YEN.com.gh
