FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has criticised the conduct of some Senegalese players and officials during the Africa Cup of Nations final, describing the scenes that followed a disputed penalty decision as unacceptable.
Infantino spoke after Senegal’s tense victory over Morocco in Sunday’s final, which was disrupted when several Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest against a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
In a statement sent to AFP, the FIFA president said, “We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members. It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner.”
He added, “It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right.”
The controversy unfolded deep into injury time, with the score level at 0-0, after Morocco were awarded a spot-kick following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz. The decision angered most of the Senegal team, who left the field in protest.
Senegal captain and former Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane, stayed on the pitch and appealed to his teammates to return before the penalty was taken. The players had earlier expressed frustration after a Senegal goal was ruled out for what appeared to be a soft foul.
Tension also spread to the stands, where some Senegal supporters attempted to enter the pitch and clashed with security officials.
The match was delayed for almost 20 minutes before Diaz eventually stepped up. His ‘panenka’ penalty was saved by Senegal goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy.
Senegal later secured victory in extra time when Pape Gueye scored in the fourth minute to hand his side a 1-0 win.
While congratulating Morocco for their performance as hosts and runners-up, Infantino stressed the need for teams to respect officiating decisions. He said Morocco had enjoyed “a fantastic tournament, both as runners-up and exceptional hosts”.
“We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play,” Infantino said.
“Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”
The FIFA president warned that incidents like those witnessed during the final sent a negative message to fans across the world.
“It is also the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world,” he said.
“The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. I reiterated that they have no place in football and I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF will take the appropriate measures.”
