Senegal’s football federation has confirmed it will not appeal the sporting and financial sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following incidents at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement, the federation said it had formally notified CAF of its decision, despite earlier indications from the Senegalese government that it would contest the restrictions placed on head coach Pape Thiaw and two players.
CAF’s disciplinary action stems from chaotic scenes during Senegal’s final group match against hosts Morocco in January. Play was halted for 14 minutes after Thiaw urged his players to leave the pitch in protest after a Senegalese goal was disallowed.
On Thursday, CAF’s disciplinary board handed Thiaw a five-match suspension and a $100,000 fine, ruling that his behaviour was “unsporting.” Forwards Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were also suspended for two matches each for unsporting conduct towards the referee.
In addition, CAF fined the Senegalese football federation over the team’s conduct and the behaviour of its supporters.
The federation said it would assume full financial responsibility for all fines imposed on the organisation, its technical staff and its players. While accepting the sanctions, it stressed that it remains committed to defending its legitimate rights and interests within African football institutions.
However, the statement underlined that the decision not to appeal reflects Senegal’s desire to respect CAF’s regulatory framework and uphold the integrity of African football.
