Motsepe Defends Independence of CAF Judicial Bodies
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has defended the independence of the governing body’s judicial bodies following the controversial decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.
Motsepe said judicial panels must be free to reach decisions without influence from the CAF president or any other football authority, even when their rulings conflict with his personal views.
“CAF judicial bodies sometimes take decisions that I don’t like at all. But I’ve got to keep quiet and support them because their independence is critically important,” Motsepe said.
His comments followed the CAF Appeals Board’s decision to overturn an earlier ruling by the Disciplinary Committee that had upheld Senegal’s victory in the final, after Morocco appealed over alleged misconduct during the match.
Motsepe said the incidents surrounding the final were disappointing and had undermined years of CAF efforts to promote integrity, respect, ethics, good governance and credible competition.
However, he pointed to the contrasting rulings by the two judicial bodies as evidence that CAF’s judicial system operates independently.
Motsepe said CAF had reformed the process for appointing judicial officials, allowing all 54 member associations and the six regional zones to nominate respected judges and lawyers. The aim, he said, was to strengthen confidence in the integrity and credibility of judicial decisions across African football.
Senegal has the right to challenge the Appeals Board ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), a route Motsepe said CAF would respect.
“Every member nation has the right to pursue its interests through the appropriate channels,” he said, adding that CAF would abide by the final decision of the highest judicial authority.
The ruling has sparked intense debate across African football, with some supporters questioning the decision while others have welcomed it as a demonstration that disciplinary standards must be upheld.
Motsepe’s comments come as CAF seeks to strengthen its governance structures and reinforce the independence of its judicial institutions, insisting that their decisions must remain free from presidential or institutional interference.
