The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has banned Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw for five matches and fined him 100,000 dollars following chaotic scenes during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
CAF punished Thiaw for unsporting conduct after he ordered his players to leave the pitch late in the match. The protest followed a disallowed Senegal goal and caused a 14-minute delay.
CAF also fined the Senegal Football Federation 615,000 dollars. The penalty covered the team’s conduct and the behaviour of Senegal supporters during the final.
In addition, Senegal players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr received two-match CAF suspensions each. CAF said both players showed unsporting behaviour toward the referee.
Morocco Appeal Rejected
Morocco asked CAF to overturn the match result after Senegal players walked off the pitch. CAF’s Disciplinary Committee rejected the appeal.
Despite the disruption, Senegal went on to win the final. Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in extra time to secure the title.
Morocco Also Sanctioned
CAF also fined Morocco a total of 315,000 dollars. The penalties covered the behaviour of ball boys, team officials in the Video Assistant Review area, and supporters who used laser pointers.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one match suspended for a year. Ismael Saibari was banned for three matches. Both players faced punishment for unsporting conduct after attempting to remove a towel shielding Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy during heavy rain in Rabat.
Match Incidents Explained
The incident began after officials disallowed a Senegal goal late in the game. Minutes later, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty. Brahim Diaz missed the spot kick.
Thiaw then instructed his players to leave the field in protest. Officials eventually convinced the team to return and complete the match.
Successful Tournament Despite Chaos
Despite the disorder in the final, CAF described the tournament as successful. The competition generated record revenues and strong fan engagement across the continent.
However, CAF said the punishments were necessary to protect discipline, fairness, and respect for match officials in African football.