Morocco to appeal sanctions over shambolic Africa Cup final against Senegal

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco has decided to appeal a ruling that resulted in fines of $415,000 and match bans because of a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final, its soccer federation said Tuesday.

CAF, African soccer’s governing body, last month fined the host and Senegal over unrest at last month’s final in the Moroccan capital.

Senegal won the game 1-0 after extra-time and decided not to appeal the ruling.

The Moroccan federation and forward Ismael Saibari were issued fines totalling $415,000. Saibari and captain Achraf Hakimi were also banned from games. During the final, ball boys tried to seize a towel belonging to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, apparently to distract him, an incident that alone led to a $200,000 fine for the host.

Morocco sees CAF’s sanctions as disproportionate to the incidents.

“Given the incompatibility of these sanctions with the scale and severity of the incidents (…), the FRMF has decided to appeal these decisions,” Morocco’s soccer federation said in a statement.

The final was marred by Senegalese players walking off the field in protest at a stoppage-time penalty and fans attempting to storm the pitch. Outraged visiting supporters threw chairs and clashed with stewards. Eighteen are awaiting trial on hooliganism charges.

CAF fined the Senegalese soccer federation and national team coach Pape Thiaw a total of $715,000. It also issued match suspensions to Thiaw and bans to two other players.

The match bans apply only to Africa games, not the World Cup kicking off in June, which Senegal and Morocco have qualified for.

After the tumultuous final, the tension moved from the pitch to social media. In Morocco, human rights groups warned against a surge in what they called “hate speech toward sub-Saharan residents.”

In response, officials from Morocco and Senegal called for calm, and sought to reaffirm their countries’ economic and diplomatic ties.

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