The incredible irony of CAF: sanction Morocco first, reform the code later!

The CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, expressed his disappointment at the "unacceptable incidents" that marred the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. While validating the sanctions imposed on January 28, the leader felt that an evaluation phase and a review of the regulatory frameworks were now essential to guarantee the integrity and competitiveness of African football.

A meeting of the Executive Committee will soon be convened to revise the founding texts, at the forefront of which is the Disciplinary Code. Motsepe’s stated objective is to enable the judicial bodies to impose "appropriate and deterrent" sanctions in the event of serious violations. This reform aims to protect the image of African sport in the face of behaviors that undermine its credibility on a global scale.

The leader also reaffirmed his determination to raise the level of refereeing on the continent. CAF plans to allocate additional technical and financial resources to strengthen the training of referees, match commissioners and video assistant referee (VAR) operators. This modernization should align African practices with the best international standards of neutrality and performance.

Since his election, Patrice Motsepe has insisted on the independence of the Referees’ Commission, now involving the 54 member associations in the process of appointing its members. For the CAF President, these structural changes are essential to ensure that CAF competitions maintain their status as some of the most admired and respected tournaments in the world.