Diplomatic tensions have surfaced following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations final, as Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko publicly criticised Morocco over the imprisonment of 18 Senegalese supporters.
The fans were arrested during the January 19 final in Rabat after disturbances erupted late in the match. The encounter was temporarily suspended when Senegal’s players walked off in protest after a VAR review resulted in a penalty being awarded to the host nation.
Amid the chaos, several supporters attempted to access the pitch, leading to their detention. Moroccan authorities subsequently charged the group with hooliganism and violence against security personnel.
Last Thursday, prison sentences ranging from three months to one year were handed down, alongside fines of up to 5,000 dirhams. The ruling sparked immediate backlash from Senegalese officials.
“It seems this matter goes beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable,” Sonko told parliament.
“For two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.”
Although the 18 supporters have denied wrongdoing, they have yet to lodge formal appeals.
Senegalese authorities are now exploring diplomatic avenues, including seeking a royal pardon from King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
Should that effort fail, Sonko indicated that bilateral agreements could allow the convicted fans to serve their sentences in their home country.
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“If they do not, we have agreements that bind us and allow us to request that the supporters serve their sentences in their own country,” Sonko added.
The country’s FA also criticised the severity of the punishments, describing them as disproportionate. Its communications committee president, Bacary Cisse, argued that similar clashes in stadiums elsewhere rarely result in comparable sanctions.
Defence lawyer Patrick Kabou previously stated that his clients were still awaiting clarity on specific charges and revealed that some had embarked on hunger strikes in protest of their detention.
Despite the controversy, the West Africans ultimately secured a 1-0 victory after the match resumed, lifting the continental title.
However, the aftermath of the final continues to cast a shadow over what should have been a celebratory moment for the Teranga Lions.
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