The Republic of Djibouti has firmly denied any involvement in the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to award Morocco a forfeit victory over Senegal for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, stating the move is intended to protect its national reputation and the integrity of its sporting officials.
This controversy, which erupted following a March 2026 ruling by the CAF Appeal Jury, has caused significant shock across the continent. The appellate body overturned Senegal’s 1-0 on-field victory over Morocco, recording it as a 3-0 forfeit defeat on the grounds that Senegalese players walked off the pitch mid-match in violation of regulations.
While this revised result officially crowned Morocco as champions, it triggered “corruption” allegations from Dakar and led to intense criticism of the officials involved in the verdict.
In a joint press conference held last Thursday, high-ranking Djiboutian sports and legal officials dismissed rumors circulating on social media claiming that “Djiboutian influence played a role in Morocco’s victory” as completely unfounded. The delegation included State Secretary for Sports Hassan Mohamed Kamil, President of the Djiboutian Football Federation (FDF) Souleiman Hassan Waberi, and CAF Appeal Jury member Mohamed Djama.
State Secretary Hassan Mohamed Kamil stated, “The Republic of Djibouti has great respect for the independence of continental sporting institutions. Under no circumstances do we intervene in CAF’s jurisdictional decisions. Any rumors to the contrary are direct attacks on our national integrity.”
Mohamed Djama, the Djiboutian lawyer and CAF Appeal Jury member who had been personally targeted by online critics, provided a specific clarification regarding his role in the ruling that penalized the Senegalese team. Djama explicitly stated that he did not participate in the hearing or the private deliberations that led to the forfeit decision. To ensure neutrality and avoid any conflict of interest, he confirmed that he was not included in the specific panel of judges formed to review the Senegal-Morocco file.
The fallout from the “Rabat Final” is now escalating into a diplomatic crisis. While the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) welcomed the decision as a “victory for the rule of law,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) described the ruling as “unjust and unprecedented.” Senegal has announced its decision to take the case to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland to have their on-field victory reinstated.
The intervention by Djiboutian officials aims to decouple the country from this bilateral conflict. FDF President Souleiman Hassan Waberi reaffirmed that the federation has no institutional link to the internal procedures of the CAF Appeal Jury and called on the public to remain vigilant against unverified information.
As African football fans move forward, they are eagerly awaiting the final decision from CAS. Djibouti’s firm stance serves as a reminder of the major consequences that arise when a result achieved on the pitch is overturned in a legal arena.
