Senegal and Morocco are expected to learn within days whether the Court of Arbitration for Sport will overturn the decision that handed Morocco the Africa Cup of Nations title.
The case was heard on Thursday at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, almost nine months after Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the AFCON final.
CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said the three-member panel handling Senegal’s appeal intends to issue its ruling shortly after the hearing.
“I know it’s a long wait for the fans, a few months after the final,” Reeb said, adding that the timetable for the proceedings had been agreed by all parties.
The dispute stems from an incident late in the final that led Senegal’s players to temporarily leave the pitch after Morocco were awarded a penalty.
The Senegal team eventually returned and the match resumed following the intervention of Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala. Senegal went on to win the final 1-0 after extra time.
CAF’s Appeals Board later overturned the result in March, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory.
Morocco were subsequently recognized by CAF as the champions, while Senegal challenged the decision at CAS and asked for their on-field victory to be restored.
One of the central issues before the sports arbitration panel is expected to be the authority of referee Ndala during the disputed incident.
Football’s Law 5.2 states that decisions made by a referee concerning facts connected with play, including the result of a match, are final.
The CAS hearing is being held behind closed doors, with legal representatives for the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations and CAF taking part.
The ruling could finally settle the dispute that has continued since the controversial final and determine whether Morocco retain the title or Senegal are reinstated as champions.
The next Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to begin in June, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda set to jointly host the tournament.
