The TAS confirmed this Wednesday the receipt of the appeal, whose objective is to annul the decision of the African body and declare Senegal thewinner of the tournament. In addition, the FSF requested the suspension of the procedural deadlines until it had the full grounds for the ruling issued on March 17
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The conflict originated in the final of the competition, when the Senegalese national team withdrew momentarily from the playing field in protest against a penalty awarded in favor of the Moroccan team. Although the “Teranga Lions” returned and ended up winning 0-1, CAF interpreted the situation as an "inappearance" and, almost two months later, it gave up the game to Senegal, with a 3-0 in favor of Morocco, which defined the
title. Senegal won the match, but CAF gave it up because of “inappearance”
The FSF rejected this resolution, calling it “iniquitous , unprecedented and unacceptable” and assuring that it “discredits African football”
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The TAS must now form an arbitral tribunal and establish a timetable for the process. According to the rules, the appellant has 20 days to present their legal arguments, while the defendant parties will have the same deadline to respond. However, the times could change if the suspension request submitted by Senegal is accepted
.
“The TAS is perfectly prepared to resolve these types of disputes, with the help of expert and independent referees,” said Matthieu Reeb, director general of the organization. “We understand that teams and fans are eager to know the final decision, andwe will ensure that the arbitration procedure is carried out as quickly as possible, while respecting the right of all parties to a fair trial,” he added
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With no definite date for the resolution, the case keeps the official sanction of the tournament suspended and opens up an unprecedented scenario that will have to be resolved in international sports courts.
