CAF President Patrice Motsepe during the CAF 14th Extraordinary General Assembly 2025 at Cairo in Egypt on the 12 March 2025 ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Monday Mar 30, 2026. 11:00
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe insists he will respect any decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Senegal’s appeal.
CAS confirmed that the Lions of Teranga have contested the CAF Appeal Board’s ruling to strip them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title for walking off the pitch during the final against Morocco.
Pape Thiaw’s side were deemed to have forfeited the match and the Atlas Lions were crowned champions two months later following an appeal of their own.
The verdict has been criticised worldwide and Motsepe claims CAF will implement whatever judgement is passed by CAS.
“I may not express any opinions on whose case is right or whose case is wrong,” Motsepe said at a press conference on Sunday after CAF executives held a meeting in Cairo.
“I may say I was a bit surprised because the media said ‘the CAF president supports the decision’. I respect the decision, whether I agree or disagree. Whether I like it or not is irrelevant.
“The independence of the judicial bodies is something that we respect. My personal opinion is irrelevant, whether I agree with the decision or not.
“What we want to say is that the matter is before CAS, which is the highest decision-making body for football in the world.
“We will respect and implement whatever decision is taken by CAS, but CAF has 54-member associations on the continent. We will continue to engage this issue and we now have to put it to the side.”