CAF President Patrice Motsepe has confirmed he personally awarded Senegal the trophy and medals after their 1-0 extra-time win over Morocco in the 2025 AFCON final, despite a later ruling stripping them of the title.
The Appeals Board decided Senegal’s brief walk-off over a controversial late penalty constituted a forfeit under tournament rules, awarding Morocco a 3-0 default victory months after the January match.
“I gave Sadio Mané the medal, I gave Koulibaly the medal, I gave Mané the trophy, but I have to follow the laws,” Motsepe said during crisis talks in Senegal. He remarked the disciplinary board’s chair, though Senegalese, recused himself to ensure fairness, and stressed that no country receives special treatment.
CAF insists its judicial bodies are independent. The Senegalese FA has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with Motsepe pledging to respect any CAS outcome.