CAF Appeal Panel: Senegal launches an attack and denounces a "robbery"

The legal standoff between Senegal, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Morocco is entering a crucial phase. In front of an audience of journalists present in Paris this Thursday, the pool of international lawyers mandated by the FSF presented a muscular defense strategy, criticizing a case management deemed partial and chaotic by the African authorities.

«An administrative heist»
In opening, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation, Abdoulaye Fall, immediately set the tone, placing the debate on the field of sports sovereignty and justice:

Faced with what amounts to the crudest administrative robbery in history, the Senegalese Football Federation does not intend to let itself be pushed around (...) It is about defending our robbed players from their victory on the field, the interest of African football and our prisoners, victims of unjustifiable diplomatic blackmail.

A video procedure, without oral argument and without adjournment

Master Seydou Diagne, a central figure in this pool of lawyers from Senegal, France, Spain and Switzerland, did not mince his words regarding the verdict rendered on appeal by the CAF. According to him, the very basis of the decision is non-existent:

«The decision of the Jury of Appeal cannot even be considered as a true decision because it is so absurd and irrational. It is an unacceptable infringement of the right''.

The lawyer then gave a surreal account of the conduct of the hearing before the Jury of Appeal, describing the organization as a mockery:

'9 days later, the president of the jurisdiction has not yet adjourned the meeting. We are summoned at 7am on Zoom. 6 to 7 minutes of preliminary argument while introducing the members of the defense, the president asks us 2 questions. Does the same with the Moroccan side. Then we are told that they will put us in the waiting room. The hearing has not resumed. It was the Moroccans, back home, who told us that the hearing was over. It was outrageous. We called in Cairo, they told us that the hearing was over.

Morocco turned down two of its four requests
Beyond the form, Master Diagne warned about the consequences of such a precedent for world football, estimating that the fundamental texts have been flouted. «To violate in such a brazen way the Laws 5 and 6 of the game, if the world of football lets it happen, the winner of the next World Cup will be able to do it in the offices of FIFA.»

He also revealed the underside of Moroccan requirements, stating that while the victory on green carpet was recorded, the CAF did not accede to all the requests from the Cherifian Kingdom: 

“Something that is not known to the general public. Morocco asked for 4 things: To note that Senegal has withdrawn, to note the victory 3-0 by forfeit, that the title be withdrawn from Senegal, that the rewards be given to them (Cup, medals, prize money). The last two requests have been rejected. In the decision that was notified to us, the Jury of Appeal rejected the last two requests. There is to date no decision of the Jury of Appeal that orders to return the medals and the trophy (...) They must send us the notified decision. The general secretariat of the CAF asked the Appeal Panel to send the reasoned decision. It has been 9 days since we have it.

Towards an international criminal investigation
The case now takes an extra-sporting judicial turn. Master Diagne announced the FSF’s intention to take the case to the criminal courts: "A complaint for corruption will be filed against five people (...) We do not accuse the Kingdom of Morocco. But, we have legitimate elements to request the opening of an international criminal investigation.

The CAS schedule to be defined
Finally, Mr. Serge Vittoz outlined the next steps before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.The objective is to obtain a quick decision, although this depends on the goodwill of the opposing parties. 

'A procedure at the CAS lasts between 9 and 12 months. The idea is to request an accelerated procedure. But for this it is necessary that all the parties agree on this procedure. We will see what the positions of the other parties will be, namely the African Football Confederation and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. If an expedited procedure were accepted, we could have a verdict within 2 months,”

 he said.

Senegal now hopes that sports law will take over the "office arrangements", in a matter that is permanently shaking the institutions of continental football and which should continue to be discussed for a few months.