Hussein Mohammed calls for respect for CAF after decision to strip Senegal of AFCON title
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has broken his silence on CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of their AFCON trophy, two months after the controversial final held in Rabat in January 2026.
Speaking during a local television interview on Monday, March 23, 2026, Mohammed shared his disappointment regarding the chaotic events of the final between hosts Morocco and Senegal, decrying the negative impact the saga has had on the reputation of African football.
Disappointment
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“I want to reiterate the disappointment regarding how the final ended and the controversy surrounding the game. It has put the sport into disrepute,” he stated.
Mohammed underscored the importance of abiding by such decisions, regardless of how controversial they may appear, stressing that rulings from judicial bodies are typically the result of exhaustive internal processes.
“Regarding these decisions, however much one may disagree, we must respect the institutions and their internal mechanisms, especially when judicial bodies are involved,” he added.
Independent bodies
The FKF chief also noted that he has prioritised making the domestic league’s judicial and governing bodies as independent as possible to ensure fairness for all participating teams without external interference.
“Within the federation, I have made such bodies as independent as possible with a zero-interference policy. It is the only way to ensure that independent bodies can function effectively and maintain the integrity of the game,” he concluded.
His remarks mirror those made by Patrice Motsepe, the CAF president, who publicly addressed the controversial decision that resulted in Morocco being awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title after Senegal forfeited the final.
Motsepe defended the independence of the organisation’s legal structures after the appeals body overturned an earlier ruling and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win.
Judicial independence
“The independence of the CAF’s judicial organs is clearly reflected in the different decisions taken by the disciplinary commission and the appeals commission,” Motsepe said.
He pointed out that the contrasting outcomes reached by the disciplinary and appeals committees demonstrate their ability to function independently.
Reflecting on the disrupted final held in Rabat, the CAF president acknowledged that the incidents hurt the organisation’s reputation. He noted that such occurrences undermine years of effort invested in promoting fairness, ethics, and credibility in African football.
