Fouzi Lekjaa defends AFCON final handling, rejects allegations of misconduct

Fouzi Lekjaa has offered a forceful defence of Morocco’s organisation of a past Africa Cup of Nations final, addressing long-standing controversies involving Senegal and incidents that unfolded around the decisive match.

In detailed remarks revisiting the atmosphere surrounding the final, Lekjaa, speaking to Al Jazeera rejected suggestions of improper conduct and insisted that Morocco acted responsibly during a tense and emotionally charged evening.

He pointed to what he described as external misunderstandings and organisational disagreements that escalated into confusion on match day.

“Regarding the Africa Cup of Nations final, when the referee awarded a penalty, Senegal left the pitch. You all saw what happened, and you also saw some individuals who caused disturbances and were Senegal fans. Honestly, the Moroccan crowd reacted with wisdom. If we wanted to ‘cheat,’ we could have ended the match in the 15th minute and why would we wait until the 90th minute…”

The comments refer to a disputed phase of the match in which Senegal’s reaction to a penalty decision created tension on and off the field, with officials and spectators struggling to contain the situation as emotions surged.

Lekjaa went further, insisting that Senegal’s delegation had not raised concerns during the early stages of their stay in Morocco and had instead expressed satisfaction with the arrangements provided.

“Regarding scenes before the AFCON final – the Senegal team, since arriving in Morocco, never complained about anything. On the contrary, their federation president even said the stadium was world-class and everything was perfect.”

He argued that complications only emerged closer to the final itself, suggesting that logistical and communication issues played a key role in the breakdown of calm preparations.

“But when they reached the final, the first issue started when Senegal announced that their team would arrive in Rabat at a certain time, which made their fans come to see their players. That was the first misunderstanding.”

According to Lekjaa, further disagreements followed over accommodation and training arrangements, which he said Morocco attempted to resolve in cooperation with tournament organisers.

“The second issue was the hotel assigned by CAF – they didn’t like it, so we changed it for them.”

“The third issue was that they refused to train at the Moroccan national team training center.”

The remarks are likely to reignite debate around one of the most scrutinised moments in recent AFCON history, where sporting competition, crowd emotion, and organisational decisions intersected under intense pressure.

While Senegalese officials have previously expressed their own perspectives on the incident, Lekjaa’s latest intervention underlines how deeply the episode continues to resonate in African football governance circles.

For Morocco, the comments also reflect a broader effort to defend its record as a tournament host and rising force in continental football administration, particularly as the country prepares for a growing role in global football events in the coming years.