Assahafa.com
The CAF Appeals Board’s unprecedented decision declaring Senegal to have forfeited the AFCON final match with the result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco reflects a strict application of CAF regulations, Kenyan daily The Star wrote on Wednesday.
The newspaper stressed that overturning the final result was not a decision taken lightly, but one based on a rigorous interpretation of the rules governing forfeits. “Overturning the outcome of a final is not something taken lightly, but the regulations are clear on what constitutes forfeiture,” the outlet noted, citing a Kenyan sports analyst.
It further pointed out that, although unprecedented, the ruling rests on clearly established legal grounds, with CAF’s Appeals Board opting for a strict reading of the relevant provisions, particularly those relating to forfeits, leading to the conclusion that Senegal breached the rules governing the continuation of an official match.
Under CAF regulations, “the team that contravenes the provisions… shall be eliminated for good from the competition. This team will lose its match by 3-0,” the regulation reads, while also allowing CAF to impose further disciplinary measures.
Source: map
