Taib backs CAF decision: AFCON crown returns to rightful holders as Senegal withdrawals keep shaping the saga
29 March 2026
Legendary Libyan football star Tariq Taib enters the crisis as Africa’s football world watches the fallout from AFCON 2025’s final between Morocco and Senegal.
AFCON final fallout and Taib’s stance
The ongoing controversy around the final has sparked a broader debate in African football, with CAF’s decision to strip the title from Senegal and award it to Morocco sending shockwaves beyond the stadium.
In this context, Tariq Taib publicly backed CAF’s move, describing it as a correction of history and a rightful return of the trophy to its owner. Taib’s remarks, aired on Libyan radio, emphasized that the sport’s integrity depends on enforcing established rules, even if the headlines sting a bit.
Taib’s comments linked the final controversy to a broader pattern of Senegalese withdrawals in AFCON history, recalling notable incidents in past editions, including a notable withdrawal in the Nigeria 2000 edition and a similar episode in the 2004 quarterfinal against Tunisia.
He argued that the discipline demonstrated by upholding the decision reflects a commitment to the competition’s charter, a sentiment that echoes through several opinion pieces and analyses referenced in the coverage.
Taib also noted that while other opinions circulate, the core issue remains: does the continental governing body have the authority to correct a perceived wrong and restore trust in the trophy’s rightful holder?
His stance follows a line of commentary that underscores the importance of consistent rules, noting that sanctions have historically played a role in maintaining order, such as the two-year ban imposed on Senegal after the 2013 Ivory Coast incident, with CAS’s eventual ruling still pending on the current challenge.
In closing, Taib suggested that strong penalties are essential to ensure respect for the sport’s codes, leaving the final word to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as the legal process unfolds.
Punchline time: If drama paid admission, AFCON would have sold out every stadium in Africa by now. Punchline 2: I asked my coffee who really owns the trophy; it replied, “Cup first, controversy second.”
