Tensions remain high following the conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, with the controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Committee still drawing sharp criticism. On March 17, the committee awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory by administrative decision, overturning Senegal’s 1-0 win on the field. In response, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), intensifying the dispute.
A separate but equally pressing issue involves the legal proceedings against 18 Senegalese supporters. These individuals face charges of hooliganism stemming from violent incidents that erupted during the final match on January 18. Initially sentenced on February 19 to prison terms ranging from three months to one year, their case was reviewed in an appellate court in Rabat earlier this week.
During the hearing, it was revealed that supporters given three-month sentences could be released as early as this coming Saturday. However, the prosecution has pushed for harsher penalties, including up to two years’ imprisonment, as reported by RMC. The charges include assault against law enforcement, pitch invasion, and projectile throwing.
legal arguments clash over supporter conduct
The defense presented a compelling rebuttal, arguing that the supporters were driven onto the pitch by crowd pressure or to escape hostile actions such as “spitting and object-throwing”, rather than to challenge a referee’s call. “Mistakes were made, and those truly responsible are not present in this courtroom—they remain in Senegal,” stated Patrick Kabou, one of the lawyers representing the accused, in a statement to AFP.
The hearing also turned contentious when the defense sought to introduce video evidence to formally identify the accused. This request was denied by the prosecution, which cited the principle of flagrante delicto—“The entire world witnessed these distressing images live,” the prosecution argued.