The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has denied that a member of its Referees Committee participated in the controversial refereeing decision during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final match between Senegal and Morocco. The match, held on February 1, 2025, was decided by a late penalty awarded to Morocco, leading to their 1-0 victory and elimination of Senegal.
Reports had circulated suggesting that a high-ranking CAF official was involved in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review process for the critical penalty call. In a statement, CAF clarified that its Referees Committee members are not involved in the operational aspects of VAR during matches, which are handled solely by the appointed match officials.
The decision sparked significant controversy and disappointment among Senegalese fans and officials. The Senegalese Football Federation had previously expressed its frustration over the incident, calling for greater transparency in officiating.
CAF has reiterated its commitment to the integrity of its competitions and stated that all refereeing appointments for the tournament were made based on merit and performance. The governing body has not indicated any further review of the specific incident.
