HIBAPRESS – Sports
The sanctions announced by the Confederation of African Football regarding the events of the Africa Cup of Nations final sparked a wave of widespread anger in Moroccan sports circles, as many considered them lenient towards the Senegalese national team compared to the sanctions issued against Morocco.
The decision included a five-match suspension for Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw, a fine of $100,000, in addition to two-match suspensions for players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr for unsportsmanlike conduct towards the referee. The Senegalese Football Federation was also fined a total of $615,000, distributed between the behavior of the fans, the actions of players and members of the technical staff, in addition to a penalty related to five players receiving warnings during the match. In contrast, the Moroccan side was affected by the sanctions, with Achraf Hakimi suspended for two matches, one of which is suspended for a year, and Ismael Saibari suspended for three matches with a fine of $100,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Disciplinary Committee also fined the Royal Moroccan Football Federation $315,000, due to the actions of ball boys, the use of lasers by some fans, in addition to the invasion of players and members of the technical staff of the video technology review area (VAR) and obstructing the referee's work. The controversy was further intensified by CAF's announcement of the rejection of the appeal submitted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation regarding what it considered legal violations by the Senegalese side. A number of Moroccan followers expressed their surprise at the nature of the sanctions, considering that they do not reflect, in their view, the seriousness of the events that accompanied the match, especially after the controversy that accompanied the withdrawal of Senegalese players from the field and the acts of violence witnessed in the stands, which were facts that were the subject of international criticism at the time.
