By Tom Musira
An old saying goes that in the midst of war, truth becomes the first victim.
The saying applies to situations in which parties involved in a conflict endeavour to present separate versions of what they regard as the truth, usually in a biased and subjective way. Such a development shouldn’t be a shock or surprise. It’s on account of the egocentric and stubborn nature of human beings that drives them to defend wrong actions, as opposed to being truthful, tolerant, remorseful and objective.
This scenario was vivid through actions surrounding the controversial decision by CAF to strip Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title.
The soccer governing body shocked the world with a ruling that reversed Senegal’s victory and instead had Morocco declared champions of the 2025 AFCON edition. Millions of soccer fans had watched and closely followed the events as Senegal battled Morocco in one of AFCON’s most thrilling, but tension-packed finals, played on January 18th.
From the start, it was obvious that the two soccer giants were headed for a showdown, on account of the pride associated with the display of their soccer prowess over the years. Morocco has achieved great success in its journey to soccer glory in the recent past.
The climax was its participation in the previous World Cup tournament, where it qualified and played in the semifinals. On the other hand, Senegal emerges as black Africa’s soccer hero, and a perfect reflection of self-determination, resilience and focus as factors influencing their success at the continental soccer stage.
The tension-packed match reached a climax when the referee awarded the Moroccans a controversial penalty in the dying minutes of the game. The decision sparked off resistance from the Senegalese team, which walked off the pitch in protest.
However, the team returned for normal play through the persuasive influence of Sadio Mane, the team captain. The decision to have the penalty taken was upheld. It was such a golden chance for Morocco to prove it’s worth, after a painstaking struggle to score before a stadium packed with fans who were desperate to celebrate a win on home soil.
The Moroccans faced a lifetime shock after failing to convert the penalty. The futile attempt had the Senegalese energised to a level of having the Moroccans outplayed in the final moments of the game. The match soon stretched into extra time, and the story wasn’t different.
The Senegalese pressed the Moroccans through a fast- paced and counter attacking game, that quickly yielded into a goal. The referee blew the final whistle, which sealed the fate of the Arabs, leaving them dejected and humiliated before the massive home crowd.
The Senegalese were crowned as champions in a colourful function that concluded the tournament, and which had the trophy presented to their captain as a climax.
But in just two months, the world got awakened to news of a declaration that has found CAF trapped and subjected to scrutiny, in what could be described as the soccer blunder of the year. International Soccer experts have cast doubt about CAF’s seriousness and commitment to integrity, through the decision to overturn Senegal’s clear victory. The matter leaves CAF flatfooted and embarrassed by the extent of worldwide reaction condemning the decision.
The development was made worse by the contradictions identified in the justification to annul Senegal’s victory. There is the argument that the Senegalese walked off the pitch and thereby contravened CAF regulations. However, the referee should have applied this rule by promptly ending the match instead of allowing the game to proceed. This argument would have made sense if the referee had ended the match after the “walk -off protest by the Senegalese.
The issue of whether the referee knew and understood this rule could also be subjected to public debate, in which his competence would probably emerge as a centre of attention.
On the other hand, it’s a historical fact that football playing rules empower the referee as the final authority in any match. The referee endorsed Senegal’s extra-time goal and ended the match with this on record.
The annulment of Senegal’s victory would almost imply a challenge by CAF against the role and authority of referees in matches. It might actually set a precedent that could potentially affect the outcome of international matches in future.
Critics would be prompted to wonder about what CAF’s reaction would have been had Morocco scored through the penalty awarded in the dying minutes. It’s indeed likely that we wouldn’t have had this conversation overstretched, and trending up to now.
Meanwhile, the CAF blunder hasn’t been devoid of casualties. Jean Jacques Ndala, the Congolese referee who officiated the AFCON final, has been excluded from the list of match officials for this year’s World Cup.
His myopic, unethical and questionable approach to that game must have exposed him to a risk that has ended in a decision that accounts for a blemish in his illustrious career.
The development has also cost him the fortune associated with service as a World Cup referee. CAF died in its own movie through a gamble that could be compared to a bereaved family, which may think about having a postmortem, long after the death and burial of a dead loved one.
