CAF President Motsepe rejects Senegal’s corruption claim amid AFCON fallout

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israeli war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald Trumpcaret-rightSport|FootballCAF President Motsepe rejects Senegal’s corruption claim amid AFCON falloutSenegal’s government alleged corruption at African football’s governing body after AFCON title awarded to Morocco. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoFIFA president Gianni Infantino, left, is pictured alongside CAF president Patrice Motsepe during the Africa Cup of Nations [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]By AFPPublished On 9 Apr 20269 Apr 2026The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected accusations of corruption by the Senegalese government after the body’s shock decision to strip Senegal of its AFCON title and award it to Morocco. “If anybody wants to initiate legal action alleging that there is corruption in CAF, I don’t only welcome that, I encourage them,” said Patrice Motsepe, speaking in Morocco on Thursday. “There’s nothing to hide. We respect enormously the judicial and legal sovereignty of every single one of our 54 nations on the African continent. “I’m confident that whatever the decision of CAS will say, we will respect it and we will implement it,” he added, referring to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Motsepe’s visit comes at a particularly tense time for CAF following its surprise decision to overturn Senegal’s 1-0 win against host-nation Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final on January 18. CAF cited regulations about leaving the field as it recorded a 3-0 victory in Morocco’s favour on March 17. During the match, Senegalese players, along with head coach Pape Thiaw and his staff, walked off the pitch in Rabat after Morocco were awarded an added-time penalty, which forward Brahim Diaz ultimately missed. The Senegalese Football Federation has appealed CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The decision has sparked a strong response by Senegal, whose government has called for an international investigation into suspected corruption within the institution. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: