Appeal upholds jail terms for 18 Senegalese fans after 2025 AFCON final | OneFootball

Eighteen Senegalese supporters convicted over disorder at the 2025 AFCON final had prison terms of three months to one year upheld on appeal on Monday, according to AFP.

The final ended 1-0 to Senegal after extra time. In stoppage time a Morocco penalty followed a disallowed Senegal goal, prompting attempts to invade the pitch and projectiles to be thrown. After around 15 minutes, players returned, Brahim Diaz missed, and Pape Gueye later decided it in extra time.

The group have been held since 18 January and were prosecuted for hooliganism, including violence against police, damage to sporting equipment, pitch invasion and throwing projectiles. First-instance sentences were nine at one year plus 5,000 dirhams, six at six months plus 2,000, and three at three months plus 1,000. Those on three-month terms can be released from next Saturday.

A Frenchman of Algerian origin, found to have thrown a water bottle, also received three months and a 1,000 dirhams fine. In court the accused maintained their innocence, saying they entered the pitch due to a crowd surge or to avoid spitting and missiles, not to protest a refereeing decision.

Defence lawyer Patrick Kabou said he took note of the verdict and argued the prosecution had provided no proof. Another defence counsel, Naïma el-Guellaf, asked to screen the videos cited by the prosecution to test identification, a request the prosecutor rejected, citing flagrante delicto.

Source: L'Équipe