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The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has denounced the imprisonment of 18 Senegalese fans in Morocco, labelling the court’s verdict as “incomprehensibly harsh.”
On Thursday, a court in Rabat handed down prison sentences ranging from three months to a full year for “hooliganism” following the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final held last month.
The fans had been in custody since the January 18 match, where Senegal secured a 1-0 victory over the Moroccan hosts in a high-tension atmosphere.
The legal proceedings followed a chaotic end to the final, which saw some supporters attempt to invade the pitch while others threw projectiles, including a chair, onto the field.
The game was also famously halted for 20 minutes as Senegalese players protested a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
Prosecutors successfully argued that the defendants were responsible for acts of violence against law enforcement and the destruction of stadium property, resulting in nine fans receiving one-year sentences and substantial fines.
Bacary Cisse, the president of the FSF’s communications committee, expressed deep distress over the decision, arguing that the punishment was entirely disproportionate to the events.
He noted that similar stadium clashes occur globally—and even within Morocco’s domestic league—without resulting in such severe criminal sanctions.
Defence lawyers echoed these sentiments, describing the supporters as “victims” of a judicial overreaction to a sporting rivalry.
The sentencing has sparked widespread outrage in Senegal and threatens to cast a shadow over the diplomatic and sporting relationship between the two African football powerhouses.
As the FSF continues to voice its dismay, the case has highlighted a growing debate over where the line should be drawn between controlling fan misbehaviour and imposing life-altering criminal penalties on football supporters.
