00:00In African football, drama is expected.
00:03But this? This is next level.
00:07Two months after Senegal lifted the trophy,
00:10CAF reversed the results and handed the title to Morocco.
00:13The decision has left fans across the continent stunned.
00:19Especially in Senegal.
00:21I already kind of feel shady about CAF about the first decision that they took
00:25to give Morocco the cup two months after that we had already won it.
00:30I will no longer such CAF because, as Senegal means, I will not respect them anymore.
00:35And I don't even want my team to go to the World Cup
00:37because it shows that even if you respect us in our continent, what if you go to America?
00:43Welcome to the flip side.
00:45In the January 18th Afghan final in Rabat,
00:48Senegal walked off the pitch for about 14 minutes
00:51protesting a controversial VAR penalty decision.
00:54They later returned.
00:56Morocco missed the penalty.
00:59Then Senegal scored in extra time 1-0.
01:02Game over, right?
01:03Wrong.
01:04Following an appeal by Morocco,
01:07the continent's soccer governing body CAF
01:09later ruled the walk-off, broke tournament rules
01:12and flipped the results,
01:14handing Morocco a 3-0 victory.
01:19Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential or more advantageous
01:29or more favorable than any other country on the African continent.
01:33CAF says it followed the procedure, but some analysts say it's about who decides the game's outcome.
01:40We want referees to decide the games and at that point, the referee decided the game.
01:45He decided to continue.
01:46Was that an error on his part?
01:48Maybe, maybe not.
01:50But we want games to end and whoever has been declared the winner after 90 or 120 minutes should remain
01:58that way.
01:59For Senegal, the argument is simple.
02:01The match was decided on the pitch.
02:04But for Morocco, it's about following the rules.
02:07There are people who are guided by emotion and those who are guided by law and regulations.
02:15Morocco is in the second camp and this is why I don't think Moroccans will worry
02:21by any people who are being driven by the emotions because Morocco is a country that follows the institutions and
02:33the rule of law.
02:34Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes
02:41We want to be there for all the contexts and those who have been driven by their dimensions.
02:46Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes
02:52We want to be there for all the contexts and those who are thinking of what they are looking for.
03:07Senegal is now challenging CAF's decision at the Court of Arbitration, CAF.
03:11Is this simply about enforcing the rules or is there a deeper political game at play?
03:17We know, I think it's well documented, the powers that Morocco holds within the African
03:24continent in football and in sports. Does that have any influence in these rulings?
03:29We don't know for sure, but it's certainly something that will speak, that will influence
03:35the decisions.
03:36This is real, Alafa. Those people who are now pointing at Morocco and claiming that Morocco
03:41is influencing CAF from inside are those and are the same people who for over four decades
03:48have been benefiting from the lack of rule of law that has besieged CAF for decades.
03:59CAF insists there is no favouritism. One thing football lovers agree on, the controversy is
04:05causing great damage to the credibility of African football.
04:09Whatever the ruling is eventually, whether the Court of Arbitration of the sports does
04:14really in favour of Senegal or really in favour of Morocco. I think the integrity of the association
04:23that is CAF cannot remain the same.
04:27AFCON's final whistle blew months ago, but this game is far from over. And that is the flipside.
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