The law protects the future of African football in the case of Morocco, Senegal and the CAF

A legal rule, in essence, is not merely a text invoked in dispute; Rather, it is the framework that organizes behavior and gives any collective activity its meaning and stability. It is characterized by generality and abstraction, applies to everyone without exception, and does not change with changing circumstances or the fluctuations of the moment. One of its basic characteristics is that it does not address intentions, but rather actions, and is not measured by the extent of satisfaction with them, but rather by the extent of commitment to implementing them.

In this context, the decision of the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football came, which approved the final result with Morocco winning by three goals to zero and awarded it the continental championship title. A decision that should not be understood as favoring one team over another; Rather, as a direct activation of an existing legal text, at a moment that called for its decisive and clear implementation.

The facts, as everyone witnessed, do not need clarification. During the match, the Senegalese national team players left the field in protest against an arbitration decision. This led to the normal course of the match being halted. This exit was not isolated; Rather, it was accompanied by riots in the vicinity of the stadium, where aggressive actions were taken by some fans that almost undermined the safety and regularity of the event.

On the other hand, the Moroccan team presented a different model. He continued the match within its framework, accepted the referee's decisions, and adhered to the organizational protocol until its end. The Moroccan fans also showed a high degree of discipline, as there were no attempts to storm the stadium, nor any actions that would affect the course of the match. Rather, the general framework remained governed by restraint and respect for boundaries, which is an essential element in such major demonstrations.

However, the decision, in the end, was legal. CAF relied on Articles 82 and 84, which stated:

Article 82: “If a team withdraws from the competition for any reason, does not attend a match, refuses to play, or leaves the field before the end of legal time without the referee’s permission, it is considered a loser and is permanently excluded from the competition.”

Article 84: “The team that violates the provisions of Articles 82 and 83 shall be excluded from the competition, and shall be deemed to have lost the match with a score of 3-0. If the opposing team is ahead by a greater score, that score shall depend. Additional penalties may be taken.”

A legal reading of these two texts shows accuracy in wording and precision in construction. The phrase “for any reason” means excluding every possible justification, regardless of its source or nature. The text also does not link its application to the duration of leaving the field, nor to the number of players involved. The basis for applying the rule is the actual act itself: leaving the field in a way that disrupts the normal course of the match without the referee’s permission.