Senegal's men's Olympic football team has officially forfeited its place at the 2024 Paris Games following a final ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The CAF Appeal Jury upheld a decision that found Senegal had fielded an ineligible player during their qualifying campaign.
The issue stemmed from the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations third-place playoff in July 2023, where Senegal defeated Guinea 5-4 on penalties. CAF's Disciplinary Board later ruled that Senegal had used a player who should have been suspended for accumulated yellow cards, leading to a 3-0 forfeit loss.
Senegal appealed the decision, but the CAF Appeal Jury confirmed the sanction. Consequently, Guinea was awarded the victory and the final African qualification spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The ruling ends Senegal's hopes of participating in the men's football tournament at the upcoming Games.
The forfeit represents a significant setback for Senegalese football, which had aimed to build on its recent continental successes. The official draw for the Olympic football tournament took place in March 2024 without Senegal's participation.
