Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), traveled to Dakar on Wednesday amid ongoing controversy over the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. The visit comes nearly a month after CAF’s unexpected decision to strip Senegal of the championship and award it to Morocco.
Motsepe announced the trip in late March, stating his goal to promote cooperation between Senegal and Morocco as CAF faces widespread criticism. During his visit, he was scheduled to meet Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the presidential palace, followed by a press conference.
The dispute arose after Senegal walked off the pitch during the final in Rabat on January 18, protesting a late penalty awarded to Morocco. Although Morocco missed the penalty, CAF later awarded them a 3-0 victory, citing rules about teams leaving the field.
Senegal’s Football Federation has appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Senegalese government has also called for an international probe into alleged corruption within CAF.
Motsepe emphasized his commitment to respecting the CAS decision, stating that his personal views do not influence the outcome. His visit aims to ease tensions and encourage unity as CAF navigates the fallout from the contested title decision.
