The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has handed heavy sanctions against some key actors of the chaos that characterised the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between hosts Morocco and Senegal.
The game’s beauty was marred by a melee not only among players and officials on the pitch but also fans in the stands.
On Thursday, CAF meted out sanctions for various “unsporting” behaviour that brought the game into disrepute.
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was slapped with a suspension for five official games by CAF “for his unsporting conduct in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play and integrity and for bringing the game into disrepute”.
He was also fined $100,000.
Senegal players Iliman Cheikh Baroy and Ismaila Sarr were also suspended for two matches each while the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) was slapped with a total of $615,000 for various offences including the cautions of five players during the final.
On the part of Morocco, captain and reigning African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi was handed a two-match suspension with one suspended for a year “for his unsporting behaviour”.
His teammate Ismaël Saibari was suspended for three games for the same offence and additionally handed a $100,000 fine.
The Moroccan football federation was handed a total of $315,000 fine for various offences including the “inappropriate behaviour of the stadium’s ball boys during the aforementioned match”.
Its protest against FSF was rejected by the CAF Disciplinary Board.