The Confederation of African Football has suspended Senegal coach Pape Thiaw for five games and fined him $100,000 for «unsporting conduct» after he told his players to leave the pitch during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
CAF also fined Senegal’s federation $615,000 due to the team’s conduct and the behaviour of their fans, while players IIliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr were suspended for two CAF games for unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
The Moroccan Football Association was fined $315,000 in total, and Thiaw’s suspension was for «bringing the game into disrepute,» CAF said on Wednesday. In sum, the fines for both countries total over $1 million.
The bans apply only to Africa games and not the FIFA World Cup kicking off in June that Senegal and Morocco have both qualified for.
Morocco’s bid to have the result of the match overturned after Senegal players left the pitch leading to a 14-minute delay in the game was dismissed by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee.
The fines for hosts Morocco were for the conduct of the ball boys during the game, the behaviour of their players and staff in the Video Assistant Review area, and the use of lasers by supporters.
Beside supporters jumping the barricades and players from both side scuffling on the sidelines, there was a bizarre sequence in which Moroccan ball boys attempted to seize a towel belonging to Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy in an apparent bid to distract him. That behavior by the ball boys alone led to a $200,000 fine for Morocco.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi (two CAF matches, one suspended for a year) and Ismael Saibari (three CAF matches and a $100,000 fine) were suspended for unsporting conduct as they tried to remove the pitch-side towel of Mendy in the driving rain in Rabat.
Senegal coach Thiaw had told his players to leave the pitch late on in the match after they had a goal disallowed, and minutes later Morocco were awarded a penalty that was ultimately missed by Brahim Díaz.
Senegal went on to win the game thanks to Pape Gueye’s extra-time goal.
Morocco coach Walid Regragui said the Africa Cup final gave African soccer a «shameful» image. The incidents also reflected badly on Morocco, which will co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the Africa Cup incidents ugly and expected sanctions from CAF.
Morocco was hoping to host the 2030 World Cup final at the under-construction Hassan II Stadium, set to be the largest soccer arena in the world with a capacity of 115,000 after its planned completion in 2028. Spain said this week it will host the 2030 final.
CAF dismissed an appeal by Morocco to have the result canceled and Morocco declared the winner because of the Senegalese walk-off.
The game even strained diplomatic ties between Senegal and Morocco and prompted political officials in the nations to pledge to stay friends and call for calm. In Morocco, rights groups denounced what they called hate speech targeting sub-Saharan African residents in the country.
Senegal Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on an investment-related trip to Morocco days after the final that the reaction to it should be seen as «emotional outbursts produced by fervour and not as political or cultural rifts.»
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
