CAF Referees Committee Chairman Blames Senegalese Goalkeepers for "Towel Incident" in AFCON Final

Olivier Safari, head of the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) Arbitration Committee, has offered his perspective on what has become known as the “towel incident” that occurred during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, holding the goalkeepers responsible for the events that transpired during the match.

Speaking to Canal+ Afrique, the refereeing official clarified that a towel is not considered part of a goalkeeper's official equipment. He stated that its use should be within the spirit of sportsmanship and emphasized the necessity of removing it from the playing area if it is used to influence the course of the match.

The incident occurred in the final moments of the match when a towel was placed inside the goal of Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. This created a chaotic situation within the penalty area, involving ball boys and stadium security personnel, with substitute goalkeeper Youssouf Diouf also falling while attempting to protect the towel.

Diouf had later confirmed in statements that he was merely trying to ensure the best possible conditions for his teammate, noting the absence of any intervention to stop what was happening on the pitch.

These statements come amidst ongoing reactions to the events of the AFCON final, as the Confederation of African Football awaits the outcomes of disciplinary procedures and investigations it has launched regarding various incidents witnessed during the match, most notably the withdrawal of the Senegalese players.