Former CAF Disciplinary Committee Chairman Criticizes AFCON Final Sanctions: "They Let Down African Football"

Raymond Hack, the former head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Committee, has strongly criticized the decisions made by CAF's disciplinary panel following the events that marred the "Morocco 2025" Africa Cup of Nations final. He stated that the issued sanctions do not reflect the gravity of what occurred and fail to serve the image of football on the continent.

In statements to beIN Sports, Hack said, "I have reviewed the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Committee, and I must be frank, I feel they have let down African football as a result of this decision." He added that the financial penalty of $300,000, coupled with a five-match suspension from official CAF competitions, was "an incorrect decision."

The former official explained that the root of the problem stemmed from the actions of Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw, asserting, "The entire incident was caused by the Senegalese coach, who took the players off the field and prevented them from playing." This, he noted, subsequently led to fan reactions and confrontations between players from both teams, a scene he described as "something that should never have happened."

Hack emphasized the importance of respecting referees' decisions, stating, "If players read the laws and agree to play football, they understand that the referee's decision is final. Whether you think the referee is right or wrong, or even biased, you must abide by what he says."

He also strongly criticized the referee's handling of some players during the VAR review, explaining, "The referee should have taken action against the players who interfered with him at the VAR screen, and the players who surrounded him and interfered with his decisions. He should have shown them red cards."

Hack considered the penalties imposed on some players to be inadequate for the offenses committed, stating, "These players were only suspended for two matches on the grounds of bringing the game into disrepute, which is negligible." He highlighted that a two-match suspension is the same penalty applied for a regular red card during a match.

Hack affirmed that a coach bears greater responsibility due to their position, saying, "The coach is the person everyone looks up to; all children look up to him. And now everyone is saying: if this is how CAF handles things, what do you expect? This is completely wrong."

The same speaker also addressed the financial aspect, noting, "The winning team received $10 million, and the losing team received $4 million, and then a fine of only $300,000 is imposed – this is nothing significant." He considered this penalty not to be a real deterrent.

He added in this context, "For me, if I had been present, I would have demanded a suspension of no less than six months from any football involvement under any circumstances," especially since the coach in question still has the opportunity to participate in the World Cup, which Hack described as "completely wrong."

The former Disciplinary Committee head concluded his remarks by asserting that the chairperson of the disciplinary committee, who is from Kenya, had a greater margin for severity: "I believe the lady who chaired the committee had the option to impose a severe fine and try to restore CAF's image."

At the same time, Hack stressed that he does not condone the players' actions: "I do not justify the behavior of either the Moroccan or Senegalese players. I believe what they did was completely wrong, but I think stricter measures should have been taken against all parties involved."