Ref's Report Mentions Interruption, Not Forfeit! Ballon d'Or Winner Backs Senegal After AFCON 'Injustice'

Last Updated:March 21, 2026, 14:21 IST

Former Ballon d'Or winner and Liberian president George Weah threw his weight behind the Teranga Lions and opined that the referee's call should be the final declaration.

Former Ballon d’Or winner and Liberian president George Weah backed Senegal after Morocco were awarded the African Cup of Nations title on Tuesday, as the Teranga Lions were ruled to have forfeited the final.

Senegal had walked off the field in protest before the match ended, then later returned to complete the game, which they ultimately won 1-0.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that its appeals committee had decided Senegal forfeited the match due to their early walkout, converting their 1-0 victory into a 3-0 defeat.

In the final held in Rabat in January, Senegal’s players, led by coach Pape Thiaw, left the pitch for 15 minutes during stoppage time in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco, an incident that also prompted fans to attempt to invade the field.

When play resumed, Morocco forward Brahim Diaz took the penalty and attempted a Panenka, but goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved it in a dramatic twist before Senegal went on to score the only goal in extra time.

Weah threw his weight behind the Teranga Lions and opined that the referee’s call should be the final declaration.

“I call on CAS and the other relevant authorities to act firmly so that this injustice is not upheld,"

“In football, the Laws of the Game are clear: the referee on the pitch is the final authority for decisions made during the match. Once play is allowed to continue and the match is completed, the result achieved on the field must stand," Weah stated.

“According to the applicable rules of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), match officials have full authority during the game.

“CAF regulations align with FIFA’s Laws of the Game (Law 5), which state: “The referee has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed, and his decisions on facts related to play are final."

“In the case of the AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco, the referee allowed the match to continue after Senegal’s withdrawal, and the game was played to its conclusion, including extra time, with a result decided on the pitch," the former AC Milan star said.

Article 28 of the tournament regulations state that, “if, for any reason whatsoever, a team withdraws from the competition or does not report for a match, or refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee, it shall be considered loser and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition."

“Furthermore, after the match, the referee’s report mentioned an interruption during the game, not a forfeit, and recommended appropriate sanctions for the infractions committed during the match."

“For this reason, the CAF committee’s later decision, taken after the match had ended, should not override the authority exercised by the referee during the game in accordance with the Laws of the Game," he said.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify that the posts widely circulating on social media claiming that I support the CAF disciplinary committee’s decision against Senegal are completely false."

“Anyone using my image and associating it with such misleading statements is urged to refrain," Weah concluded.

News sports football Ref's Report Mentions Interruption, Not Forfeit! Ballon d'Or Winner Backs Senegal After AFCON 'Injustice'

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