Former South Africa coach Hugo Broos has backed the Confederation of African Football’s decision to award Morocco a 3–0 victory over Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final, as the dispute between the two nations awaits a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The controversy reached a closed-door hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday, October 8, with representatives of Senegal, Morocco and CAF presenting their arguments before a three-member arbitration panel, according to BSNSports.com.ng.
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said the panel would examine the procedural and legal questions raised by the case before issuing a reasoned decision as soon as possible. However, no specific date was announced for the verdict.
Morocco’s representatives declined to comment publicly after the hearing, while Senegalese Football Federation Secretary General Abdoulaye Sow confirmed that his delegation had presented its arguments.
Broos’ position centres on whether Senegal’s players leaving the pitch during the final provided grounds for forfeiture, regardless of the team’s eventual return to the field and the match’s original outcome.
His support for CAF’s interpretation adds to the debate surrounding the decision, but does not determine the outcome of Senegal’s appeal. The final ruling rests with CAS.
The dispute has attracted considerable attention across African football, with the arbitration panel’s decision expected to determine whether CAF’s 3–0 ruling stands or the original result is restored.
Broos, who left his position as South Africa head coach at the end of July after five years in charge of Bafana Bafana, has now joined the discussion over one of the most contentious episodes in recent African football.
Morocco and Senegal must await the CAS decision, which will settle the appeal and clarify the status of the AFCON final result.
