Former Ballon d’Or winner George Manneh Weah has delivered a sharp rebuke of the decision by the Confederation of African Football to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Senegal had originally secured the crown with a 1–0 extra-time victory over Morocco in the final on January 18.
However, CAF’s Appeals Committee has since overturned the result, ruling that Senegal forfeited the match following a 17-minute walk-off in protest after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Citing Article 82 of its regulations, CAF determined that any team that refuses to continue play or leaves the pitch without the referee’s permission is deemed to have lost the match. On that basis, Morocco have been awarded a 3–0 victory and their first AFCON title in half a century.
Weah, a three-time African Footballer of the Year, has strongly opposed the ruling, insisting that the outcome of matches must remain sacrosanct once play has been completed.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, he stressed that the authority of the referee—enshrined in the Laws of the Game—should be final.
“The referee on the pitch is the ultimate authority. Once the game continues and is completed, the result must stand,” Weah argued.
He pointed out that CAF’s own regulations mirror those of FIFA, particularly Law 5, which grants referees full control over match proceedings and decisions.
According to Weah, the referee in the final allowed play to resume after Senegal’s brief protest, with the match ultimately played to completion, including extra time.
Crucially, he noted that the referee’s report referenced only a temporary stoppage and recommended disciplinary action—not a forfeiture.
“The decision taken after the match should not override the authority exercised during the game,” he said. “Football must be decided on the pitch, not re-decided after the final whistle.”
The Liberian icon warned that CAF’s move risks setting a troubling precedent, where administrative bodies could overturn on-field decisions long after matches have concluded—potentially opening the door to disputes over penalties, offsides, and dismissals.
He further described the ruling as damaging to the credibility of African football, urging the Court of Arbitration for Sport and other relevant bodies to intervene.
Weah also dismissed circulating claims that he supports CAF’s decision, labelling them “blatantly false” and calling on the public to stop associating his name with such assertions.
