Cup of Nations decision hammer blow for African football

CAPE TOWN, March 18 : The controversy over January's Africa Cup of Nations final will come as a major blow to the continent's hopes of elevating the status of its flagship competition.

Tuesday's decision by the Confederation of African Football's Appeal Board to strip Senegal of the title and hand it to opponents Morocco adds to the chaos that characterised the final in Rabat, where Senegal walked off the pitch to protest a VAR decision before returning to win the game 1-0.

Their walk-off has been adjudged to have contravened tournament regulations and led to the Appeal Board handing Morocco the title and awarding them a 3-0 scoreline.

But the decision is to be appealed by Senegal, which is certain to drag out a storm that has harmed the image of African football.

“We need to get back to some common sense. And what’s going to come of all this? What will people say about African football now? That it’s not serious, that it’s not rigorous. It saddens me, especially since it’s improving,” Alain Giresse, who coached four African national teams including Senegal, told the French daily L’Equipe on Wednesday.

“This is ridiculous, the Senegalese went home with the cup, celebrated and partied. Frankly, this discredits the CAF once again," added former France international Samir Nasri on French television.

“Serious credibility issues will be raised when football officialdom in Africa can operate like a kangaroo court where obscure, inexplicable, and controversial decisions can replace fair and transparent decisions taken in broad daylight by referees,” said former CAF vice president Kwesi Nyantakyi.

CAF PRESIDENT DISAPPOINTED WITH CUP FINAL INCIDENTS

The controversy reignited a day after CAF president Patrice Motsepe met with an array of