Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to King Mohammed VI of Morocco following the monarch's decision to pardon Senegalese fans four months after the two nations faced off in the Africa Cup of Nations final. In an official statement on CAF's website, Motsepe conveyed his sincere appreciation for the royal pardon granted to those Senegalese fans who had been convicted of offenses related to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Motsepe stated, "On behalf of the member associations of CAF, which represent 54 African countries, I would like to express our profound gratitude to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI, for graciously granting a royal pardon to the Senegalese fans convicted of offenses related to the Africa Cup of Nations final match." He emphasized that CAF continuously reaffirms its commitment to using football as a means of uniting people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, highlighting the inspiring example set by the King of Morocco as a testament to the power of football in bringing people together in Africa and beyond.
In his remarks, Motsepe shared his admiration for the deep historical ties between the peoples of Senegal and Morocco, which he witnessed during his recent visits to both countries. He concluded his statement by wishing success to the national teams of Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup, expressing his unwavering confidence in their ability to honor the African continent.
On the morning of Sunday, fans from Senegal who had been imprisoned following the riots during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat in January returned to the Blaise Diagne Airport in Diamniadio, on the outskirts of Dakar, where they were welcomed by President Bissau Diumai Faye and members of the Senegalese Football Federation. In a statement released by the Moroccan royal palace on Saturday, it was noted that "in light of the historical brotherly relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, and on the occasion of the upcoming Eid al-Adha" to be celebrated on Wednesday in Morocco, the King graciously decided to grant a royal pardon for humanitarian reasons to the Senegalese fans convicted of offenses during the Africa Cup competitions.
On January 18, during the championship final in Rabat, Senegal triumphed with a 1-0 victory in a match marred by chaos. After a penalty was awarded to Morocco in stoppage time of the second half, immediately following the disallowance of a goal for Senegal, several Senegalese players left the pitch, while fans attempted to storm the stadium. In February, Moroccan courts handed down prison sentences ranging from three months to one year to 18 Senegalese individuals for "hooliganism" after their arrest during the final, and they had been detained in Morocco since those events. By mid-April, three fans were released after serving their three-month sentences, and the royal pardon issued on Saturday extended to the remaining fifteen fans.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
