CAF Appeals Jury faces scrutiny over AFCON 2025 decision

The Confederation of African Football appeals jury is facing mounting criticism over its legitimacy following the controversial decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.

The ruling, announced last Tuesday, has sparked intense debate across African football, with questions raised about both the process and those involved in reaching the decision.

Senegal had originally secured the title on the pitch, but the reversal has triggered what many describe as a political storm within the sport.

Central to the dispute is the composition of the appeals committee that delivered the verdict. According to official records, five of the nine jurors were present during deliberations.

Among them was Moez Ben Tahar Nasri, president of the Tunisian Football Federation, who served as an independent member.

His involvement has drawn particular scrutiny. Critics argue that his position within Tunisian football could conflict with the requirements expected of an independent member, fuelling doubts over whether the panel was properly constituted.

Despite these concerns, the regulations appear to support the validity of the meeting. Article 16 of CAF’s Disciplinary Code states that sessions of the appeals committee are valid if at least three members are present.

In this instance, that threshold was met, with Espoir Asogbavi Komlan of Togo, Masauko Timothy Msungama of Malawi and Nasri all in attendance.

CAF statutes further define an independent member as someone without contractual ties to the organisation or their national association, and not holding executive roles within those bodies in the four years prior to election.

Strictly interpreted, this condition applies only to presidents and vice-presidents of CAF’s judicial bodies, suggesting Nasri was eligible to take part.

However, questions over impartiality have added another layer to the controversy. Reports cited by iGFM, referencing an anonymous source, allege that the Tunisian official may have been subjected to pressure linked to his relationship with Moroccan football figures.

“The FRFM (Royal Moroccan Football Federation) possesses compromising videos of him, taken during his stay in Morocco during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The governing body of Moroccan football had threatened to release them if he did not plead in its favor. He acted under pressure from Morocco.”

▫️ Apparently, the Moroccans have compromising videos of Moez Ben Tahar Nasri.
He acted under pressure from Morocco.

The Moroccans were ready to throw him to the wolves if he didn’t plead in their favor. Source: IGFM Senegal.

These allegations remain unverified, but they have intensified scrutiny of the decision-making process.

As debate continues, the controversy surrounding the appeals jury shows little sign of subsiding, with the integrity of the ruling now under sustained examination.