Post by : Meena Ariff

Senegal’s shocking decision to leave the field in protest during the Africa Cup of Nations final against host nation Morocco has drawn strong criticism from FIFA. The team went on to win the title 1-0, but the end of the match was marred by chaos and controversy.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the actions of Senegal’s players, coaching staff, and some fans, calling the behavior “unacceptable” for an international final. He wrote on Instagram that the scenes “must be condemned and never repeated.”

The final, held in Rabat, turned tense in stoppage time of the 0-0 match. Senegal appeared to have scored a potential title-winning goal, but it was disallowed after the referee ruled a foul. Minutes later, Morocco was awarded a penalty after a video review, judging that star forward Brahim Diaz had been pulled down by a Senegal defender during a corner kick.

In response, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led his players off the field to prevent the penalty from being taken. This caused a 15-minute halt in the match. Senegal fans clashed with police in the stadium, adding to the chaos.

“The act of leaving the field is unacceptable, and violence cannot be tolerated in football,” Infantino said. “Teams must compete on the pitch and respect the match officials. Anything less puts the essence of football at risk.”

When play resumed, Brahim Diaz’s penalty attempt was weak and easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, in what has been called one of the worst penalties in football history. Diaz later apologized to Moroccan fans on social media.

Extra time followed, and Senegal secured victory with a powerful goal from Pape Gueye in the 94th minute, claiming their first Africa Cup of Nations title. Infantino congratulated Senegal on the win but stressed the responsibility of players and teams to set a positive example for fans around the world.

Morocco’s football federation, led by influential official Fouzi Lekjaa, announced it would take legal action with CAF and FIFA over Senegal’s walk-off. The federation stated that the incident significantly affected the normal flow of the match and the players’ performance.

CAF also described the events as unacceptable and confirmed it was reviewing all footage before deciding on disciplinary measures. The Senegal coach, Thiaw, could face severe sanctions, though it is unclear if they would affect future African competitions or FIFA World Cup participation.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui called the incident “shameful” and said it painted a negative image of African football for the world.

#Global News #Sports News