Senegal-Morocco AFCON ruling faces scrutiny over jury process

A member of the Confederation of African Football’s Appeals Committee has publicly denied any involvement in the decision to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco, raising fresh concerns over the legitimacy of the ruling.

The verdict, which saw Morocco declared winners at Senegal’s expense, has already triggered widespread debate across African football.

However, the situation has intensified after Djiboutian lawyer Mohamed Robleh Djama challenged the process behind the decision, casting doubt on how the committee reached its conclusion.

Djama, regarded as an experienced figure in sports law, said he was neither contacted nor consulted during the deliberations.

His absence, he argues, calls into question whether proper procedures were followed within the Appeals Committee, a body typically made up of ten members tasked with reviewing such cases.

According to him, the process appears to have bypassed the usual channels of consultation expected within the jury.

That concern centres on whether a valid quorum was present and whether all designated members were given the opportunity to contribute to the final decision.

His statement was clear and direct: ” I wish to clarify that I did not participate in the hearing that convened and ruled on the forfeiture, because I was not a member of that commission. “

The declaration has added to mounting scrutiny of the decision-making process.

Although Djama is formally linked to the committee’s structure, his insistence that he was excluded from the session suggests possible irregularities within the organisation’s internal procedures.

The controversy comes at a time of heightened tension between the football federations involved. Critics of the ruling have pointed to the need for greater openness, and Djama’s remarks are likely to strengthen calls for a reassessment of the case.

Questions are now being raised about the transparency and accountability of the governing body’s judicial processes.

Observers within the African football community are awaiting a response that could clarify how the decision was reached and whether all procedural requirements were met.

For now, the dispute continues to unfold, with the credibility of the Appeals Committee’s ruling under increasing pressure as demands grow for further explanation.