The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) has thrown its weight behind head coach Pape Thiaw following his decision to instruct players to briefly leave the pitch during the Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Morocco, insisting the move was taken in defence of the team’s safety and integrity.
FSF President Abdoulaye Fall, speaking in a 13-minute, 5-second address shared on X, said Senegal’s actions were driven by principle, arguing that the squad had been subjected to “unacceptable conditions” long before the final whistle.
Fall framed Senegal’s stance as a rare challenge to the host nation’s dominance, stating that “Morocco never imagined that another team could prevent them from becoming champions. No country stood up to Morocco the way Senegal did.”
Addressing the controversial stoppage during the final, Fall made it clear that the federation stood firmly behind Thiaw, stressing that the intention was never to abandon the match.
“We fully support Pape Thiaw in the action he took, and even our superiors stand behind him. There are details we will not debate here,” Fall said.
He explained that Senegal’s officials later agreed internally that play should resume to avoid forfeiture.
“Afterwards, we discussed among ourselves, and I told Ablaye that we should go down and ask for play to resume, agreeing that the match should continue so it would not be considered an abandonment,” he added. “But by the time we went down, they had already resolved the issue and the match had resumed.”
Fall also detailed the challenges Senegal faced before travelling to Rabat, revealing that the federation struggled to obtain basic logistical information.
“When we qualified, before travelling to Rabat, I asked Ablaye to go and conduct a reconnaissance. We asked which hotel we would be accommodated in, but they refused to tell us,” he said. “It was only after we qualified and were preparing to leave for Rabat that we finally found out.”
According to Fall, the hotel selected raised immediate concerns within the camp.
Quoting the national team coordinator, he recalled: “Ablaye then told me, ‘President, it is out of the question that we stay in that hotel. The hotel is in the middle of the city, there is too much noise, and a team of Senegal’s calibre cannot be lodged there.’”
Training arrangements also became a point of contention, with Senegal resisting efforts to have them prepare at Morocco’s Mohammed VI Football Complex.
“Worse still, they wanted to force us to train at their base camp, the Mohammed VI Complex,” Fall explained. “The complex is ultra-modern, but your team would be completely exposed. You would be laying everything bare.”
Security concerns in Rabat
The FSF president said tensions escalated further upon the team’s arrival in Rabat, where he described an alarming lack of protection.
“Then you saw the team’s arrival in Rabat: zero supervision, no security,” Fall said, revealing that he was asked to intervene personally with CAF officials.
“I am not someone who chases people, but I went anyway,” he added, recalling meetings with CAF President and Secretary General Faouzi Lekjaa.
Fall said his initial discussions proved frustrating.
“I spoke with Faouzi, and every time he responded, ‘It’s CAF.’ When I went to speak to the CAF Secretary General, he kept saying, ‘Morocco has done this, Morocco has done that.’ That was when I realised they were misleading me.”
He said Senegal then prepared to issue a public communiqué, prompting a late-night response.
“Faouzi called me at 1:30 a.m. and asked, ‘President, what is going on?’ I replied, ‘President, this is a precautionary measure. Tomorrow we will hold a press conference. We will never play under these conditions.’”
According to Fall, CAF acted swiftly thereafter.
“Faouzi then said, ‘President, leave CAF aside for tomorrow. Come and see me, and I will do whatever you want,’” he said, confirming that he was summoned to Lekjaa’s office at the Ministry of Finance.
“When I arrived, I told him, ‘The security conditions for the Senegal national team are unacceptable. There are things we will never accept,’” Fall added. “Immediately, he reinforced the security arrangements. Checkpoints were set up even kilometres away from the hotel.”
CAF also conceded on training logistics.
“I told him that we would not train at the Mohammed VI Complex,” Fall said. “He asked me to choose the pitch we wanted… I told him, ‘The annex training ground of Moulay Abdellah,’ and an official communiqué confirming this was issued.”
Tickets and refereeing controversy
Fall further disclosed issues with ticket allocation, revealing that Senegal were initially given just three tickets for their delegation.
“I told him that I had only been given three tickets for the Senegalese delegation and that I had no possibility of buying more for a finalist team,” he said. “Morocco had taken everything.”
According to Fall, CAF intervened by offering alternative seating.
“He told me, ‘Make a list. Some will go to the VIP box, others to the Royal Box.’ I prepared the list.”
However, Fall stressed that the most serious concern remained unresolved: the appointment of the referee.
“The only issue where we remained powerless and without a solution was the referee,” he said. “Two days before the match, we were supposed to know the referee who would officiate the final… We asked them, and they said they did not know.”
He criticised CAF’s explanation for the late announcement.
“They said they wanted to protect the referee from pressure, but in reality, we knew that by then, there was no longer any possibility of requisition,” Fall stated.
He confirmed that Senegal had already prepared a formal protest.
“During the final itself, we had already prepared a letter of protest and recusal. While the match was ongoing, we sent the letter to CAF and remained vigilant throughout the game.”
Fall reiterated that Senegal’s actions were rooted in foresight and leadership rather than confrontation.
“Never has a country opposed Morocco as much as we did,” he said. “They hold the CAF vice-presidency, they have the resources, and some countries do not dare go against their will.”
Despite his personal relationship with CAF officials, Fall insisted there were clear limits.
“Faouzi is my friend, he is a compatriot, but there are certain things we will never negotiate,” he said.
Reflecting on the wider tournament, Fall concluded: “There were teams who played very well during the competition, but the conditions they went through may have contributed to their eliminations. As for Senegal, we anticipated these issues. And beyond our sporting performances, we have very great leaders.”
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