Not a scandal, but the rule": An expert rules in favor of Morocco

During the final played two months ago, the Senegalese players had left the pitch for twenty minutes to contest a penalty, before returning and winning in extra time. As explained by the journalists of Cadena SER, the recent verdict of the CAF overturning this result is based on Articles 82 and 84, stipulating that an unauthorized abandonment is worth disqualification.

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Invited to the sports show El Larguero, former referee Eduardo Iturralde González sweeps away any idea of a scandal or arbitrary decision made behind the scenes. "Every sport has rules of play, if you want to play that sport, you have to accept those rules," he says, recalling that the Senegalese were fully aware of the consequences of their protest.

While some debaters point to the responsibility of the central referee who allowed the match to resume, the Spanish expert insists that the first offense came from the players. However, he acknowledges that the official was seriously mistaken in not declaring the end of the match on the spot.

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Other flagrant irregularities also stain this stormy final. Journalist Amin Barouk points out that the referee, obeying hierarchical instructions, did not issue any warnings to the players who returned to the field. A negligence that forced Morocco to face eleven opponents instead of nine, in an already tense atmosphere due to the interference of supporters.