January 19 – Senegal manager Pape Thiaw has been banned for five continental matches and fined $100,000 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following his team’s walkoff at the recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Earlier this month, the finale of Africa’s flagship tournament ended in unprecedented chaos when Thiaw took his players off to protest a late penalty awarded to hosts Morocco.
Senegal ended up winning the match 1-0, but CAF sanctioned Thiaw “for his unsporting conduct in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play and integrity and for bringing the game into disrepute.”
The ban applies to official CAF matches, preventing Thiaw from being sidelined at the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Senegal forwards Iliman Ndiaye and Sarr were slapped with two-match bans for “unsporting behaviour towards the referee”, while the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) was fined a total of $615,000 for the misconduct of its fans, for the unsporting behaviour of its players and technical staff, and misconduct of the national team.
The Moroccan Football Association (FRMF) was slapped with fines, totalling $315,000, “for the inappropriate behaviour of the stadium’s ball boys,” for misconduct by the players and technical staff, and the use of lasers. In bizarre scenes, the ball boys repeatedly tried to steal the towel of Senegal keeper Édouard Mendy.
Morocco forward Ismael Saibari was given a three-match ban and fined $100,000. Defender Achraf Hakimi was handed a two-match ban, with one game suspended for 12 months.
CAF however dismissed the FRMF’s complaint to overturn the result of the final. The match was delayed by about 17 minutes before Senegal forward and talisman Sadio Mane convinced his team-mates to return to the pitch.
Brahim Diaz’s Panenka penalty was saved by Mendy before Pape Gueye got the winner four minutes into extra time to crown Senegal African champions.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at [email protected]