Arbitration: Morocco forces the CAF to change the VAR staff before Cameroon

This is a match that was played in the corridors of the Confederation of African Football even before it started on the pitch of the Moulay Abdellah stadium. On Thursday evening, the FRMF won a decisive tug-of-war by forcing the pan-African body to revise its plans regarding the refereeing of the Morocco-Cameroon clash.

The bone of contention? The initial appointment of two Algerian referees to manage the Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR). An aberration for the Moroccan side, as Algeria is a potential opponent of the Atlas Lions in the semi-finals.

Rabat’s arguments hit the mark. The Federation pointed to a clear conflict of interest and a breach of the principle of neutrality. According to sources close to the case, the CAF Refereeing Commission eventually recognized the validity of the complaint, admitting that it was inappropriate to appoint officials from the same geographical area or from potentially rival nations in the rest of the tournament.

This casting error, described as "serious" by some observers, has therefore been urgently rectified late on Thursday evening to ensure equal opportunities.

Following this turnaround, the CAF unveiled a new refereeing team. It is the Mauritanian Dahane Beida, known for his integrity, who will lead the proceedings in the center. He will be assisted by the Angolans Jerson Emiliano Dos Santos and Ivanildo Meirelles de Oliveira Sanches.

As for the VAR, the nerve center of the controversy, it has been completely reorganized. The video direction is now entrusted to the Ghanaian Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea, assisted by the Tunisian Haythem Guirat and the Mauritanian Babacar Sarr. With this last-minute change, the Atlas Lions can now focus on the essentials: the field.