The fallout from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final has taken a dramatic turn, as a key official listed in the appeal process claims he was never actually there.
Mohamed Robleh Djama, a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Committee, has sensationally denied taking part in the ruling that stripped Senegal of their title and awarded it to Morocco.
The decision, which has sent shockwaves through Dakar and the wider footballing world, overturned Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time victory.
CAF instead awarded a 3-0 win to Morocco, citing a forfeit after the Senegalese team allegedly walked off the pitch during the match.
Speaking at a press conference, Djama was unequivocal. “I was neither present nor take part in such deliberations,” he stated, distancing himself from a ruling that has plunged African football’s governing body into a fresh transparency crisis.
However, official CAF documentation tells a different story. According to the signed ruling, the panel responsible for the decision was chaired by Nigeria’s Roli Daibo Harriman, with Faustino Varela Monteiro of Cape Verde serving as vice-chairperson.
The document also identifies Moez Ben Tahar (Tunisia), Espoir Asogbavi Komlan (Togo), and Masauko Timothy Msungama (Malawi) as the other sitting members.
The discrepancy between the official record and Djama’s testimony raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the proceedings and the administrative rigour within CAF’s Cairo headquarters.
The controversy has quickly escalated into a diplomatic and sporting row. Souleiman Waberi, the president of the Djibouti Football Association, has stepped forward to publicly back Djama’s claims.
Waberi is calling for an immediate investigation into how the decision was reached, echoing a growing sentiment that the governance of the continental game is under threat.
Senegal are not taking the loss of their trophy lightly. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is already preparing a formal challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
For now, the 2025 AFCON trophy remains in a state of limbo, and CAF faces a race against time to restore its reputation before the next round of international fixtures.
