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A group of Senegalese football supporters jailed in Morocco following the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in January have returned home after receiving a royal pardon. The pardon, granted by Morocco's King Mohammed VI, was announced on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha holiday and cited long-standing fraternal ties between the two nations.
The 15 men arrived at Dakar's international airport early Sunday morning, where they were welcomed by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. "We're very happy to have them back on Senegalese soil," Faye told journalists, as reported by multiple outlets. The Senegalese president, dressed in a Senegal jersey and tracksuit, expressed gratitude to Moroccan authorities for the pardon, according to The Associated Press.
Coverage comparison
The royal pardon and the release of the fans were covered across multiple outlets, with most reporting the core details consistently: the number of fans released, the humanitarian grounds for the pardon, and the gesture's link to Eid al-Adha. Both The Guardian and RFI reported that King Mohammed VI granted the pardon "on humanitarian grounds" on the occasion of the Muslim holiday, and both confirmed that Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye welcomed the 15 released men upon their arrival in Dakar.
Coverage of the number of supporters released varied slightly, with most outlets reporting 15, though Morocco's royal court statement cited by The Guardian mentioned 17 Senegalese fans who had been jailed, a number that included those released in an earlier batch. The earlier release of three fans in April, as reported by multiple outlets, explains the discrepancy: 18 were originally sentenced, three served the shortest terms, and the remaining 15 have now been freed.
The broader context of the case was also detailed in several reports: the AFCON final saw Senegal players walk off the pitch after a controversial stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco. When play resumed, Morocco missed the spot-kick, and Senegal scored a 94th-minute winner. The Confederation of African Football later stripped Senegal of the title and awarded it to Morocco after an appeal, a decision Senegal has taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Key claims
According to multiple news reports, the events leading to the pardon began with the January 18 AFCON final in Rabat, during which Senegal fans threw projectiles and tried to storm the pitch after a penalty was awarded to Morocco in second-half stoppage time. The Senegal team also left the field in protest, halting play for more than 15 minutes, as reported by several outlets.
In February, 18 Senegalese fans were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to a year on charges including damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event, per court records cited in multiple reports. Three of the fans were released in April after completing their terms, according to The Guardian and RFI.
The Confederation of African Football's decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco, as well as Senegal's subsequent appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, was reported by Al Jazeera, RFI, and others. President Faye's remarks hailing Senegal as "two-time African champions" during the welcome ceremony were also noted across outlets.
Perspectives
Reporting on the king's decision emphasized that the state-run Morocco World News had earlier reported the pardons would be issued "for humanitarian reasons" on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, as well as citing the "long-standing fraternal ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal." The framing from Moroccan state media coverage positioned the pardon as a gesture of goodwill and solidarity between the two countries.
However, as The Guardian noted, the dispute over the AFCON final has strained relations between Morocco and Senegal, with players complaining of online abuse. Al Jazeera also reported this strain, and Senegal's decision to appeal the CAF decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport—an appeal Senegal said it has filed—suggests the matter remains unresolved from a legal standpoint.
Corrections: An earlier version of this article stated that Senegal scored a stoppage-time winner after Morocco's missed penalty, consistent with reports.