Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has issued a firm anti-corruption statement during an official visit to Dakar, Senegal, on April 8, 2026.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions following CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and award it to Morocco after Senegalese players walked off the pitch during the final. Motsepe’s remarks directly address Senegal’s calls for an international probe into alleged corruption within CAF’s appeals process.
According to the Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, Motsepe declared, “Whilst I am President of CAF, I will never conceal any corruption. And I’ll tell you why: corruption is worse than COVID. Corruption is worse than cancer.” The CAF president emphasized that setting a bad example in football would give children the false perception that success requires corruption, adding that corrupt individuals are “destroying this continent.”
The controversy stems from the January 2026 AFCON final, where Senegal led Morocco 1-0 in extra time before a disputed penalty call prompted Senegalese players to protest by leaving the pitch for 15 minutes. In March 2026, CAF’s Appeals Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match under tournament regulations, handing Morocco a 3-0 default victory and the title.