Patrice Motsepe pledges to respect CAS decision, says no country will be favoured | OneFootball

Patrice Motsepe has broken his silence after CAF’s appeals commission removed Senegal’s African title in favour of Morocco. The CAF president defended the organisation’s integrity and said any Court of Arbitration for Sport decision would be respected.

As reported by L'Équipe, Motsepe addressed Dakar’s corruption allegations in a video of more than six minutes, responding point by point.

He acknowledged that the incidents in the final damaged CAF’s image, saying they undermined years of work on integrity, respect, ethics, good governance and the credibility of match results. He added that lingering suspicion and mistrust remain a legacy of the past.

On judicial independence, Motsepe defended the process and noted that the disciplinary and appeals bodies reached opposite conclusions, which he cited as evidence of real autonomy. He said these panels include some of the continent’s most respected jurists and magistrates, and stressed the appeals commission, chaired by a judge, is entirely independent of CAF.

Addressing Senegal’s case to the CAS, he said all 54 African nations have the right to pursue the necessary remedies. He added that CAF will comply with whatever ruling is delivered at the highest level, and restated the principle that no African country will be treated more favourably than another.

The legal battle remains unresolved.

Source: L'Équipe