Former CAF official cites 1976 AFCON as debate rages over Senegal title stripping

A former president of the CAF Disciplinary Board, Raymond Hack, has claimed that Morocco staged a walkout during the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), despite going on to win the tournament.

Hack made the assertion during an interview with Robert Marawa on Wednesday while reacting to CAF’s recent decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title and award it to Morocco.

The ruling by CAF’s Appeals Board found that Senegal breached Articles 82 and 84 of competition regulations after players reportedly walked off the pitch in protest during the final. The decision overturned an earlier verdict by the disciplinary committee, which had dismissed Morocco’s appeal.

The controversial judgement has continued to spark widespread reactions across the football world.

Weighing in on the matter, Hack argued that the situation may not be unprecedented, pointing to the 1976 AFCON as a possible historical reference.

According to him, Morocco briefly left the pitch during their decisive clash against Guinea in the final round of the tournament before returning to complete the match.

“There are precedents in this regard. Go back to the 1976 AFCON when Guinea played Morocco, and Morocco walked off the pitch. Then they came back onto the pitch. The game was not abandoned,” Hack said.

The 1976 AFCON adopted a different format, with eight teams split into two groups, while the top teams progressed to a final round played in a round-robin format. Morocco eventually secured the title after playing a 1-1 draw with Guinea, a result that was enough to clinch the trophy.

However, the claim regarding a Moroccan walkout during that tournament has not been independently verified.

Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has filed an urgent appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to overturn CAF’s decision.

The Senegalese government has also called for an independent international investigation into the ruling, citing concerns over alleged irregularities within CAF.

The dispute marks one of the most contentious moments in AFCON history, with the final outcome now potentially hinging on further legal proceedings.