Final Whistle, Firm Law: Morocco’s Courts Uphold AFCON Final Precedents

Context

Moroccan daily Ya Beladi published a legal reading of the court decisions handed down recently to 18 Senegalese fans and one dual French-Algerian national, confirming that prison terms ranging from three months to a full year are not out of step with Moroccan practice.

The piece notes that the wave of social-media backlash in Senegal describing the rulings as harsh or excessive overlooks the judiciary’s firm handling of stadium violence.

The events linked to the Africa Cup final, including acts of vandalism and assaults on public order, were framed legally under the same criminal standards applied to domestic fans.

To show the rulings were not aimed at foreign supporters, Ya Beladi cited several prior Moroccan cases where local fans faced even tougher penalties.

In Casablanca in 2013, local fans received prison terms up to three years after clashes between Raja Casablanca and the Royal Army. In Rabat in 2022, eight Moroccan fans were jailed for up to a year following violence around a Raja Casablanca vs Maghreb de Fes match.

Ya Beladi argues that Law No. 09-09 seeks to root out violence at sports events, and that justice does not distinguish by nationality when it comes to incitement of violence or property damage, making the Senegalese sentences consistent with the judiciary’s approach to protecting public order at matches.

Note: The article emphasizes that the judiciary applies the same standards to all offenders to protect public order at sports venues. The piece concludes that the Moroccan system treats foreigners no differently when violence or property damage is involved, aligning with established precedents used to safeguard events.

Punchlines: If this verdict were a goal, the VAR would applaud in silence. And if fans keep arguing, the gavel might become the loudest stadium anthem: order in the courts!