Morocco Can Get Away with Anything’: Le Roy Blasts CAF, Says Referee Failed to Apply Rules Properly
The controversy surrounding CAF’s decision to overturn Senegal’s victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and award the title to Morocco continues to dominate headlines.
Nearly two months after Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time win in Rabat, the ruling has sparked outrage across Africa, with veteran French coach Claude Le Roy among the most outspoken critics.
Speaking to L’Équipe du Soir, Le Roy described the verdict as ‘only the beginning of the case,’ warning that the dispute could escalate further.
He accused Morocco of securing the trophy ‘on the green carpet’ and dismissed the justification for the reversal as ‘feverish’ and ‘hazardous.’
Le Roy was particularly critical of how the referee handled incidents during the match, arguing that the regulations were misapplied.
According to him, when Senegalese players returned to the pitch after interruptions, the referee should have sanctioned them individually with yellow cards rather than allowing CAF to retroactively reinterpret the situation.
In his view, the match officials had the authority and responsibility to deal with such incidents on the spot, and their failure to do so should not have been used as grounds to strip Senegal of its victory.
Beyond the specific refereeing issue, Le Roy raised broader concerns about governance in African football.
‘We have the impression that Morocco, with an all-powerful president, can get away with anything,’ he said, pointing to what he sees as an imbalance of influence within CAF.
