Odegbami blasts CAF over decision to strip Senegal of 2025 Africa Cup of Nations crown

Segun Odegbami, a former international, has criticized the Confederation of African Football for awarding the 2025 AFCON title to Morocco, describing the decision as "bizarre, condemnable and unjustifiable".

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The Confederation of African Football's decision to overturn the January 18 final result was made on technical grounds, despite Senegal being crowned champions and celebrated globally beforehand.

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Odegbami noted that this move is unprecedented in football history, stating "You cannot take away a trophy won on the pitch two months after".

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The decision has sparked outrage among football fans and stakeholders worldwide, according to Odegbami, who added that "This judgment has shaken CAF's credibility".

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Odegbami questioned the motive behind the decision, describing it as "risky and unpopular", and asked "What could have driven such a decision that undermines the spirit of the game?".

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He emphasized that while football regulations may not cover every situation, rare cases like this one require wisdom, and "This AFCON case demands that rules and common sense must align".

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Odegbami recalled that Senegal were crowned by CAF and FIFA officials before a global audience, only for CAF to deliver a "poisoned verdict" through its Appeals Committee two months later.

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Morocco's protest, which was initially dismissed, was later upheld on appeal, resulting in the decision to reverse the final match result, which Odegbami described as "one of the most unpopular ever".

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Odegbami explained that the rules on walkouts are clear, but must be applied with context, citing the example of Senegal players walking off after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco and staying away for 17 minutes.

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He noted that while this would normally attract forfeiture, the referee allowed play to resume, which "changed everything", and the match resumed with Morocco missing the penalty and Senegal scoring and winning fairly.

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Odegbami argued that petitions can alter results, but the AFCON final was a different case, stating "If this were a qualifier, nobody would question the CAF's decision, but this was the final".

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He stressed that the trophy had been awarded and celebrations concluded before the reversal, and "There was no room for post-match litigation in a final of this magnitude".

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Odegbami maintained that the referee's decision to restart play nullified the forfeiture clause, and CAF had no justification to overturn the result after recognizing a winner.

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He insisted that CAF should "Punish any infractions if necessary, but do not tamper with a concluded final", and urged the organization to review its regulations and restore Senegal as champions.

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Odegbami advised CAF to "retrace its steps and return the trophy to Senegal", emphasizing that this was necessary to restore credibility to the organization.