Moroccan Lawyers’ Club condemns Senegal FA remarks amid AFCON 2025 final dispute

The Moroccan Lawyers Club has strongly criticised comments made during a recent press conference by the Senegalese Football Federation, describing the tone and language used as inappropriate and inflammatory.

The reaction follows a press briefing held in Paris by the Senegalese FA after it filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging a decision by the Confederation of African Football to withdraw the Africa Cup of Nations title from Senegal and award it to Morocco.

Strong Reaction from Moroccan Legal Body

Murad Al-Ajouti, president of the Moroccan Lawyers’ Club, shared the organisation’s statement on X, expressing concern over what he described as a departure from professional and legal standards.

“The president of the Senegalese federation is trapped within a primitive, warlike lexicon. A technical issue cannot be defended in the language of war,” the statement read.

The club argued that the matter should remain within the boundaries of legal and technical discourse, rather than escalating into rhetoric they consider unbecoming of a formal sporting dispute.

Legal Victory and Criticism of Arguments

The statement further praised the Appeals Committee’s ruling, describing it as a major judicial milestone that aligns with the approach of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and signals what it called the end of “sports bullying.”

“From now on, the threat of withdrawal will no longer be a means to overcome sportsmanship,” the statement noted.

It also criticised references made during the press conference, particularly historical comparisons, stating: “Referring to slavery in a sporting dispute is a strange intellectual decline. These historical digressions only serve to conceal the complete absence of serious technical arguments and legal grounds on the part of the Senegalese Federation’s lawyers.”

Defence of Morocco’s Position

The Moroccan Lawyers’ Club maintained that comments questioning Morocco’s title effectively contradict the Senegalese Federation’s stance.

“Describing Morocco as a champion without a championship is an implicit admission, as the Senegalese Federation effectively acknowledges that Morocco is the champion of Africa, and that it won this battle on all fronts,” the statement said, while adding that the club reserves the right to take further action to protect the image of Morocco’s judiciary.

Response to Fan Arrest Controversy

The statement also addressed the issue of 18 detained fans, rejecting claims of political motivation.

“The imprisonment of 18 fans is not political blackmail, but rather the application of the law in the face of acts of vandalism documented on video, and claiming otherwise is an insult to the sovereignty of the independent judiciary in Morocco,” it concluded.