Moroccan federation welcomes CAF ruling awarding AFCON to Morocco by forfeit | OneFootball

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said in a statement on Wednesday that it welcomed CAF’s decision to award the most recent Africa Cup of Nations to Morocco by forfeit.

The call came on Tuesday, more than two months after Senegal won the 18 January final 1-0 after extra time, having briefly left the pitch earlier in the match. The move has been heavily criticised by the Senegal camp.

FRMF characterised the ruling as consistent with respect for the regulations and the stability required for the proper running of international competitions.

CAF cited articles 82 and 84 of its regulations, under which a team is deemed to have lost if it withdraws, fails to appear, refuses to play or leaves the field before full time without the referee’s authorisation.

The federation’s position was that, from the first incidents which interrupted the game, it consistently pressed for strict application of the competition rules. It framed the outcome as enforcing those rules rather than questioning on-field performance, and as a clarification for future cases that supports the coherence and credibility of African and international football.

Source: L'Équipe