Senegal and Morocco fined after African Cup final chaos : NPR

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Africa’s soccer body issued fines worth more than $1 million and banned Senegal’s coach and Senegalese and Morocco players Wednesday following a shambolic African Cup soccer final this month that involved a walk-off protest by one of the teams, fans trying to storm the field and fights among journalists.

The bans only apply to African games and not the World Cup kicking off in June that Senegal and Morocco have both qualified for.

The sanctions announced by the Confederation of African Football included fines totaling $615,000 for the Senegalese soccer federation and $315,000 for the Morocco federation for unsporting and improper conduct by their players, coaching staff and supporters, among other offenses.

The Jan. 18 African soccer showpiece was marred by Senegal players walking off led by coach Pape Thiaw in protest against a penalty awarded late in regulation time to host Morocco. Thiaw was banned for five African games and given an individual fine of $100,000 for bringing the game into disrepute, the African confederation said.

The game restarted after a delay of around 15 minutes, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal won the African title 1-0 after extra time.

The heated final in Rabat also saw supporters trying to storm the field, Morocco and Senegal players scuffling on the sidelines, reporters from the two countries fighting in press areas, and a bizarre sequence where Moroccan ball boys attempted to seize a towel being used by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy — in an apparent bid to distract him and help their team win the continental title.

That behavior by the home team’s ball boys led to a $200,000 fine for Morocco’s federation, which will be a co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal and has come under scrutiny for the chaotic African final.

Morocco was hoping to host the 2030 World Cup final at the under-construction Hassan II Stadium, set to be the largest soccer arena in the world with a capacity of 115,000 after its planned completion in 2028. But this month’s African final reflected badly on it.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui said the game had given African soccer a “shameful” image.

Senegal players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were banned for two African games, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi was also banned for two games, with one suspended, and Morocco’s Ismael Saibari was banned for three games and fined $100,000 for unsporting behavior.

The African soccer body dismissed an appeal by Morocco to have the result canceled and Morocco declared the winner because of the Senegalese walk-off.

The game even strained diplomatic ties between Senegal and Morocco, prompting political officials in both nations to pledge to stay friends and call for calm. In Morocco, rights groups denounced what they called hate speech targeting sub-Saharan African residents in the country.

Senegal Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on an investment-related trip to Morocco days after the game that the reaction to it should be seen as “emotional outbursts produced by fervor and not as political or cultural rifts.”