By Adegboyega Adeleye
Senegal and Morocco have been told to expect a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on their controversial Africa Cup of Nations title dispute within days.
According to ESPN, CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said the three-member panel hearing Senegal’s appeal aims to issue its decision “a few days later”, potentially bringing the long-running dispute over the AFCON title to an end.
The case is being heard at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland on Thursday, nearly nine months after Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the AFCON final.
Senegal’s victory was overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Board in March, with Morocco awarded a 3-0 victory after Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the match.
CAF’s decision followed Senegal’s players briefly leaving the pitch to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco. The players later returned, and the match resumed on the authority of Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Senegal subsequently appealed to CAS, seeking to have the CAF decision overturned and their victory restored.
The authority of Ndala is expected to be a key issue in the case, with football’s Law 5.2 stating that decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including the result of a match, are final.
Reeb said the judges’ aim was to deliver their decision “a few days later” after considering the case.
“I know it’s a long wait for the fans, a few months after the final,” Reeb said. “The procedural calendar has been established with the agreement of the parties.”
The hearing is being conducted behind closed doors, with lawyers representing the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations as well as CAF.
The dispute has generated significant controversy since the January final, with CAF imposing more than $1 million in fines on the two federations, players and Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.
Morocco were subsequently recorded as 3-0 winners by CAF and recognised as champions, while Senegal have continued their legal challenge to regain the title they won on the pitch.
The next Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to begin in June and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
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