Pape Matar Sarr has demanded the release of the 18 Senegal fans who have been detained in Morocco since a highly contentious Africa Cup of Nations final last month.
Sarr missed the final due to illness but his Senegal team-mates won 1-0 against tournament hosts Morocco to be crowned AFCON champions for only the second time in their history.
In what should have been a momentous occasion, the spectacle was overshadowed by multiple incidents – including fan trouble in the stands of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Tuesday marked 31 days since the AFCON final and taking to X, Sarr called for his compatriots to be released from their imprisonment – labelling their current situation an ‘injustice’.
‘Thirty days of detention for supporters whose only crime was to support their team with passion,’ his post began.
‘We strongly denounce this injustice and demand their release. Total support for our compatriots.’
Pape Matar Sarr has called for the 18 Senegal fans detained after their AFCON final win in Morocco last month to be released
Some Senegal fans were arrested following unsavoury scenes during the chaotic AFCON final
Sarr’s words come two days before the 18 fans are set to appear in court again on Thursday.
Last month, the Morocco and Senegal FAs were fined almost £1m between them following the AFCON final chaos.
In total the two FAs were fined a combined £914,000 by the continent’s governing body Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has been suspended for five matches and fined £72,000 for ‘unsporting conduct’ when he instructed his players to leave the pitch after the controversial extra-time penalty was given to Morocco following the referee’s decision not to award a spot kick to his side minutes earlier.
Senegal’s FA were also fined £445,000 for their side’s conduct and the behaviour of some of their fans after violence broke out between them and security at the stadium.
Hundreds of riot police were deploted to contain the furious Senegalese supporters while the players clashed on the touchline.
Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr were singled out for the victors and given two-match bans.
Senegal fans clashed with riot police as the match paused for a staggering 17 minutes and punishments have now been dished out by CAF
Tempers boiled over on the pitch and in the stands in the AFCON final on January 18
But it wasn’t just the champions who were hit with punishments by CAF.
Morocco were fined £228,000 for the behaviour of their ball boys, who extraordinarily tried to swipe the opposition back-up goalkeeper’s towel repeatedly and aggressively.
That fine was also for the behaviour of their players and coaching staff in the VAR area and fans using laser pens in the stands to try and put off Senegal players.
Morocco’s bid to have the eventual result overturned after Senegal’s walkout caused a 17-minute delay in the match was rejected.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has been banned for two matches, with one of those suspended for a year, while Ismael Saibari received a three-match ban and £72,000 fine.
Morocco have been fined for the behaviour of their ball boys, who tried to take the towel from the Senegal back-up goalkeeper in ugly scenes in the rain
There were angry clashes between the riot police in the stadium in Rabat
Both of those players tried to take away the pitch-side towel of Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy in a similarly unsportsmanlike conduct to the ball boys in the rain of Rabat.
It had looked as though Morocco would triumph on home soil when they were given a penalty late on, with Senegal eventually persuaded to return to the pitch and accept the decision.
But Brahim Diaz’s panenka penalty was easily saved when Mendy stayed in the middle of the goal to keep the score at 0-0.
Pape Gueye then scored in extra-time with a brilliant strike and his goal proved decisive in giving Senegal a second successive AFCON title.
The chaos continued post-match with Senegal boss Thiaw forced to abandon his press conference amid boos from Moroccan journalists, with some clashing with their counterparts from Senegal.
