AFCON 2025: Appeals committee raises issue

Tensions are rising over the awarding of the Africa Cup of Nations to Morocco following Faustino Varela Monteiro’s op-ed in L’Observateur.

The vice-chairman of the CAF Appeals Committee publicly expresses his disagreement with the organization’s official line.

In his view, questioning the facts established during the matches constitutes a major procedural error that undermines institutional authority.

Monteiro places particular emphasis on the primacy of the refereeing body to justify his technical opposition. He reiterates a fundamental rule of sports:

“I strongly disagree with the decision. The facts described in the match official’s reports are presumed to be true and accurate until proven otherwise. If discrepancies arise, the referee’s report takes precedence on the field.”

Finally, the official warns that this decision could prove tenuous before international legal bodies.

He emphasizes that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) generally adheres to a doctrine of non-interference, except in cases of flagrant injustice.

“The CAS will not review a decision made on the field unless there is evidence of arbitrariness or bad faith, even if the decision appears erroneous in hindsight.”