Khaberni - The president of the Senegalese Football Federation, Abdullah Said, pledged on Thursday to launch a "campaign" against the decision of the African Football Confederation (CAF) to strip his country of the title of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
The African Football Confederation appeals committee had decided to strip the Senegal team of the title of the Africa Cup of Nations for football and consider it a loss (0-3), due to the withdrawal of its players to the locker rooms in the final against Morocco, and awarded the title to "Atlas Lions".
Abdullah said in statements conveyed by the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo": "In the face of this administrative injustice, the Senegalese Football Federation has no intention whatsoever of accepting it. We will launch an ethical and legal campaign".
At a press conference, lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo Perez, who represents the Senegalese Football Federation, stated: "This decision cannot be considered as a fair sports judgment".
Yesterday, on Wednesday, the Senegalese Federation officially filed an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision to strip it of the title of the Africa Cup of Nations after the final match result was annulled.
A member of a six-lawyer team in Paris, Serge Vittoz, said that they are asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to expedite the proceedings.
Vittoz said: "Such procedures usually take from nine to twelve months, but we want it to proceed faster. However, all parties must agree to this".
In response to a question about whether the trophy will be handed over, Vittoz said that the decision of the African Confederation appeals committee to cancel the final match result does not oblige the Senegal team to return the trophy.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said in a statement: "The appeal of the Senegalese Football Federation aims to annul the decision of the African Football Confederation and declare the Senegalese Football Federation the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations. It also requests an immediate suspension of the time limit for submitting the appeal memorandum until the African Football Confederation informs the decision with full reasons".
It added: "An arbitration panel associated with the Court of Arbitration for Sport will be appointed to consider this matter. Afterwards, a schedule for the proceedings will be established".
The Senegalese government had earlier called for an investigation into the withdrawal of the title.
The Senegal team will face its Peruvian counterpart in a friendly match next Saturday in Paris, as part of its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
