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A legal research institution from Morocco has expressed disapproval of the Confederation of African Football’s disciplinary decision regarding the Africa Cup of Nations final match between Morocco and Senegal, claiming the ruling contradicted fundamental principles of international sports law.

A report published this week by the Mediterranean Center for Studies and Research in Sports Law stated that CAF’s disciplinary committee incorrectly classified Senegal’s decision to stop the game as simple “unsporting behavior,” contending that the action was a key element in increasing conflicts during the match.

The center stated that imposing only financial penalties on the Senegalese Football Federation was inadequate considering the severity of the recorded incidents.

The document also expressed worries regarding the management of sanctions applied to the Moroccan team, condemning what it referred to as uneven penalties and an inability to take into account the order of occurrences.

It mentioned that reactions from Morocco were considered separately from their root reasons, noting that harsher punishments for certain Moroccan players were not proportional when there were no reports indicating threats to personal safety or intentional interference with the game.

As per the center, the disciplinary committee used a rigid textual reading of CAF rules, sacrificing a more comprehensive normative perspective based on international sports law, referred to aslex sportiva.

The report highlighted the principle of proportionality between the offense and the punishment as the key legal flaw in the decision, cautioning that it might serve as a foundation for an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The center also condemned the sole reliance on fines to address the behavior of Senegalese fans, even though it referred to serious incidents captured in media videos, such as attempts to enter the field, attacks, and acts of destruction. These actions, it stated, required further organizational penalties to create a deterrent.

The report claimed that CAF’s limited legal interpretation of Senegalese actions seemed aimed at preventing more severe consequences, a decision it noted might affect views on justice. It further stated that a normative evaluation should have considered the effects of refusing to play on referees, fans, and the opposing team.

At the same time, the center recognized that the disciplinary committee’s decisions were officially in line with tournament rules, especially in refusing harsh sporting penalties like voiding the final outcome. It noted that the match was completed under the referee’s control, making it legally challenging to build a complete case of withdrawal.

With regard to procedural issues, the report highlighted the entitlement of all parties to challenge the decision through CAF’s appeals committee and, thereafter, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as outlined in Articles 48 and 54 of CAF regulations. It pointed out that appeals do not inherently halt implementation unless specifically directed, and recommended that any legal dispute should concentrate on the categorization of the violations and the concept of proportionality.

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