Towelgate Triumph: Ismail Sippairi’s Apology Caps AFCON Final Drama
20 January 2026
The towel saga and the postfinal handshake
Ismail Sippairi, a Morocco national team player, visited the Senegal delegation's camp to personally apologize to Edouard Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper, aiming to end the controversy sparked by his actions during the Nations Cup final.
Senegal lifted the continental title with a 1-0 victory over the host nation, thanks to Babajay's goal.
Actu Foot reported that the meeting came after Morocco's defeat, with Sippairi seeking to close the chapter on the towel incident that drew attention during the match.
The network stressed that the Senegal goalkeeper who played a decisive role in the win emphasized that tensions and clashes stay on the pitch, and that mutual respect should prevail off it.
The moment was described as a showcase of African sporting spirit, with the players greeting each other warmly and closing the door on any quarrel.
Rooted in the final held yesterday in Rabat, extra time brought high tensions; a behindthegoal scene featured a towel used to dry Mendy’s gloves.
Some ball kids and Moroccan players including Achraf Hakimi who tossed the towel out of play, and Sippairi who tried to prevent its return intervened, while a Senegalese substitute on the bench tried to guard the towel and hand it to the starting keeper.
