The President of FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reacted strongly to the controversy that overshadowed the Africa Cup of Nations ( AFCON) final between Senegal and Morocco, following Senegal’s protest over a late refereeing decision.
What happened between Senegal and Morocco in the AFCON final?The dramatic scenes unfolded after a disputed VAR call awarded Morocco a crucial penalty, sparking anger among Senegalese players and officials.
As tensions rose, Senegal’s players briefly walked off the pitch in protest, an action that caused a lengthy delay and further inflamed the atmosphere inside the stadium. The situation was compounded by unrest among sections of the crowd, forcing match officials and security to intervene before play could resume.
What did Gianni Infantino say?In his response, Infantino condemned the scenes, describing them as unacceptable and contrary to the spirit of football. The FIFA president stressed that while emotions can run high in major finals, respect for match officials and the rules of the game must always be upheld, regardless of the circumstances or the stakes involved.
Infantino also reiterated that walking off the pitch is not an acceptable form of protest and warned that such actions damage the image of the sport on a global stage. He emphasized that football authorities must protect the integrity of competitions and ensure discipline is maintained at all times.
The FIFA boss further urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to address the incident through the appropriate disciplinary channels, making it clear that football must not tolerate behaviour that disrupts matches or encourages disorder.
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