The legal battle over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title has taken a dramatic turn following explosive allegations from renowned French investigative journalist Romain Molina. Molina claims that the initial disciplinary proceedings within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) were marred by “open manipulation” and “interference” aimed specifically at undermining Morocco.
Claims of Anti-Moroccan Interference
In a recent revelation, Molina refuted long-standing accusations of harboring “anti-Moroccan” sentiments. He argued that the behind-the-scenes facts of the AFCON final dispute actually support a narrative where Moroccan interests were unfairly targeted during the first-instance judgment.
“In the first instance, there was interference against Morocco—I’m telling you, I’ll sign off on it, and I stand by it,” Molina stated. He suggested that Moroccan officials were left feeling “played” by internal maneuvers within CAF’s disciplinary committee before the case eventually moved to the appeals stage.
The “Secret Meeting” and the Senghor Message
The most damaging aspect of Molina’s report involves a private message allegedly sent by Augustin Senghor—President of the Senegalese Football Federation and a member of the CAF Executive Committee—to CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
According to Molina, the message was sent prior to the appeals committee’s verdict, which eventually overturned Senegal’s victory in favor of Morocco. In the text, Senghor reportedly:
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- Expressed alarm over a “secret meeting” he had heard about by chance.
- Warned Motsepe that this meeting was allegedly designed to “dismiss Senegal in favor of Morocco.”
- Described the situation as potentially “fake news” but urged the President to investigate the lack of transparency.
Contradictions and Institutional Silence
Molina highlighted a significant contradiction in the behavior of high-ranking CAF officials. He questioned why Augustin Senghor, who privately denounced these “maneuvers” to Motsepe, has remained publicly silent about the specific details of the alleged secret meeting.
Furthermore, the journalist argued that President Patrice Motsepe can no longer claim ignorance regarding the internal tensions and alleged corruption within the Executive Committee. “Motsepe cannot publicly say he knows nothing when an executive committee member is warning him,” Molina noted.
Impact on the CAS Appeal
These allegations emerge just as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) begins its review of Senegal’s appeal against the 3-0 forfeit ruling. Molina’s claims of multi-sided interference—first against Morocco, then potentially in their favor—suggest a deeply fractured governing body.
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Legal analysts believe that if evidence of “secret meetings” or executive interference is presented to CAS, it could severely damage the credibility of CAF’s judicial organs. This could lead the court to look more favorably on a “de novo” review, where they ignore CAF’s previous rulings entirely and make a decision based solely on the match events of January 18.
Current State of the Dispute
As of March 27, 2026:
- Morocco remains the designated AFCON 2025 champion per the CAF Appeals Committee.
- Senegal has filed its formal appeal with CAS to reinstate their 1-0 on-pitch victory.
- CAF has yet to issue an official response to Romain Molina’s specific allegations regarding the leaked correspondence between Senghor and Motsepe.
