Following the controversy that surrounded the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), Abdoulaye Fall, has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
One week after the final, Fall has raised several concerns, alleging unfair treatment and organizational failures throughout the competition.
Senegal defeated tournament hosts Morocco 1–0 after extra time in a tense final, a match marked by protests from Senegalese players who briefly walked off the pitch after Morocco were awarded a late penalty in normal time.
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Speaking in a video published by Senegalese outlet Seneweb, he claimed that Senegal faced greater resistance than any other team.
“No team stood up to Morocco the way Senegal did,” Fall said. “We must be honest Morocco had control.”
One of Fall’s main criticisms involved the appointment of the referee for the final. According to him, the Senegalese delegation repeatedly requested the referee’s identity but received no clear response until the very last moment.
“We were supposed to know the referee at least two days before the match,” he explained. “We kept asking, but we were told there was no information.
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It wasn’t until 10 p.m. on the eve of the final that we were informed, which meant we lost the chance to officially challenge the appointment.”
CAF reportedly justified the delay by saying it wanted to shield the referee from external pressure, an explanation Fall rejected.
“By doing that, they prevented us from exercising our rights,” he said.
Fall also criticized the conditions in which the Senegalese team were placed, particularly their accommodation.
“Our team was lodged in a city-centre hotel with constant noise and no proper access road,” he said, describing it as unsuitable for a team preparing for a final.
In addition, he claimed that Moroccan officials attempted to compel Senegal to train at the hosts’ base camp, the state-of-the-art Mohammed VI Football Complex
“They wanted us to train at their centre, which is far superior to anything we have in Senegal,” Fall noted. “If we had agreed, they would have had full insight into our preparations.”
According to Fall, the situation only improved after he threatened to withdraw Senegal from the final. He said security arrangements were reinforced, an alternative training venue was provided, and the team was eventually relocated to a more appropriate hotel.
