The president of FIFA (International Football Federation), Gianni Infantino, harshly criticized this Monday (18) the attitude of some players from the Senegal national team for having briefly left the field and headed to the dressing rooms during the final of the African Cup of Nations against Morocco on Sunday (18), in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.
Encouraged by coach Pape Thiaw, the Senegalese players left the pitch at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium after Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to the home team in second-half stoppage time.
While the Senegalese fans in the stands clashed with the police, the athletes ended up being convinced to return to the field by star Sadio Mané. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy ended up defending Real Madrid striker Brahim Díaz’s dig. In extra time, midfielder Pape Gueye scored for Senegal and secured the team’s second title in the tournament.
“We witnessed unacceptable scenes on the field and in the stands. We strongly condemn the behavior of some ‘fans’, as well as some Senegalese players and members of the technical committee”, wrote Infantino in a post on his social networks, in which he also took the opportunity to congratulate Senegal for winning and Morocco for holding the tournament.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this way and, equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right,” added the manager.
The FIFA president also defended that the referees’ decisions on the field must “always be respected” and demanded that the players set the “correct example” for the fans. He also said he hopes that the “competent disciplinary bodies of the CAF (Confederation of African Football, responsible for organizing the tournament) will take appropriate measures.”
CAF published a statement in which it also condemned the “unacceptable behavior of some players and officials” during the final, “especially directed at the refereeing team or the organizers of the game.”
The African confederation added that it is taking the necessary measures to determine the punishments due to those involved. “The CAF is analyzing all the images and will forward the case to the competent bodies so that the appropriate measures can be taken against those responsible.”
Partner at Ambiel Bonilha Advogados and specialist in Sports Law, Felipe Crisafulli stated that article 64 of the African Cup regulations provides that, if one of the teams refuses to play or leaves the field before the regular end of the match without the referee’s authorization, that team will be considered the loser and definitively eliminated from the ongoing competition. Article 67 adds that the Organizing Committee may take other measures it deems appropriate.
“So, in theory, there is the possibility of Senegal being punished and, as a result, even losing the title they won — regardless of all the confusion that was seen during the game,” said Crisafulli.
“In general, entities avoid, as much as possible, applying this type of punishment, as it ends up, in some way, altering the result achieved on the field. In any case, the competition regulations expressly provide for this type of consequence.”
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw had to leave the stadium room in the Moroccan capital where he was to give an interview after the match after being persistently booed by Moroccan journalists present.
One of the players who went to the dressing room, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, avoided getting into controversy and praised the Senegalese national team’s title win.
“We’re not going to talk in the heat of the moment. Things happened, but in the end what matters is that football won”, said the goalkeeper who played for Chelsea and now at Al Ahli.
“We were determined to win this final, to bring the trophy home. Millions of Senegalese are happy and we will enjoy the victory,” he added. “We need to put this controversy behind us.”
In Dakar, capital of Senegal, fans took to the streets to celebrate the title and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared a national holiday this Monday (19).
“By handing them the national flag, we entrusted them with a mission. They achieved this brilliantly, at the end of an epic match, raising the colors of Senegal to the top of African football,” wrote Faye in X.
The African Cup champion is in group I of the World Cup, alongside France, Norway, and one other team (Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname) that will be known after the intercontinental playoff.
Morocco is part of group C, and is alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
Com Reuters
