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

Senegal’s government alleged corruption at African football’s governing body after AFCON title awarded to Morocco.

The 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.