The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made significant changes to the refereeing teams for Senegal’s upcoming AFCON 2025 qualifying matches against Burkina Faso and Burundi. The decision comes after growing concerns from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) regarding the repeated appointment of Moroccan referees in their matches.
The first match, scheduled for September 6 at the President Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, will now see Tunisian officials replace the previously assigned Moroccan referees.
Similarly, the match against Burundi on September 9 at the Lilongwe-Bingu National Stadium in Malawi will now be officiated by Egyptian referees, also replacing the Moroccan officials initially designated for the game.
The FSF’s concerns stemmed from the frequent assignment of Moroccan referees to Senegal’s matches, which had become a source of suspicion for the federation.
FSF President Me Augustin Senghor, who is also the First Vice-President of CAF, along with Senegal’s Minister of Sports Abdoulaye Saydou Sow, voiced their concerns to CAF.
The federation was particularly unsettled by the appointment of a Moroccan referee who was involved in a controversial decision during the Senegal-Côte d’Ivoire match in the round of 16 of AFCON 2023.
The referee, serving as a VAR assistant, failed to spot what Senegal believed was a clear penalty.
This referee was again appointed for Senegal’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Mauritania, further fueling the FSF’s concerns.
The tipping point for the federation came when this same official was assigned as an assistant referee for the Senegal-Burkina Faso match on September 6.
Additionally, four other Moroccan referees were designated for the Burundi-Senegal match on September 9.
In response to the FSF’s formal letter of complaint, CAF decided to make the changes.
According to a note from CAF, “For technical reasons, Mr. Hamza El Fariq (Morocco), initially designated as the fourth official for the Burundi-Senegal match, has been replaced by Mahmoud Elbana (Egypt).” In another communication, CAF confirmed that the entire Moroccan officiating team for the Senegal-Burkina Faso match had been replaced by Tunisian referees.
Sadok Selmi will now serve as the match referee, with Khalil Hassani and Wael Hannachi as assistant referees, and Amir Loucif as the fourth official.
These changes highlight the importance of vigilance within football federations to ensure fairness and transparency in the sport.
The FSF’s proactive stance in addressing their concerns with CAF underscores the significance of having alert and knowledgeable leaders at the helm of African football.
This incident also recalls past instances where Senegal’s assertiveness in such matters, like the replayed match in Polokwane and the qualification of the Lionceaux for the U-20 World Cup, has proven crucial.
As Senegal embarks on their AFCON 2025 qualifying journey, the hope is that these changes will help ensure a fair and competitive environment for all teams involved.
