The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has suspended Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, following a disciplinary review of the chaotic events during Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
Senegal claimed their second continental title after defeating hosts Morocco 1-0 in extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
However, the victory was marred by Thiaw’s decision to order a mid-game walk-off, which CAF described as a serious breach of conduct that compromised the integrity of the tournament.
The controversy unfolded deep into second-half stoppage time when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a late penalty after a VAR review.
Angered by the decision, which came shortly after Senegal had a goal disallowed, Coach Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch.
The high-profile final faced a potential forfeiture and a delay of nearly 20 minutes until captain Sadio Mane intervened.
Mane successfully convinced his teammates to exit the dressing room and return to the field, allowing the match to reach its conclusion.
Senegal eventually secured the win with Pape Gueye’s decisive extra-time goal, but CAF acted quickly to impose sanctions on the technical staff.
CAF’s disciplinary committee stressed that such protests are unacceptable in professional football, regardless of disputes over officiating.
Thiaw later expressed regret for his actions, acknowledging that his emotions had gotten the better of him in the heat of the moment.
The suspension underscores CAF’s commitment to enforcing strict disciplinary standards as African teams prepare for future global competitions.
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