WAFCON 2024 Fallout: Details Of Morocco’s Complaint To CAF Emerge

WAFCON 2024 Fallout: Details Of Morocco’s Complaint To CAF Emerge

Sampson Adedeji

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has disclosed the content of its complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following the controversial 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The FRMF strongly condemned what it described as a “truncated or even manipulated” use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during the match and has formally requested sanctions against the officials responsible for video refereeing.

The controversy centres on a potential penalty that was overturned by central referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa after consulting VAR in the final quarter-hour of the game, when the score was tied at 2-2.

According to Arryadia channel director Hassan Boutabssil, the referee was only shown “two unclear angles” of the incident.

This claim was reportedly backed by statements made by the match producer on social media, alleging that the VAR referee deliberately withheld footage that clearly showed a foul.

An FRMF official, speaking anonymously to UK-based Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, said: "The match producer made some very serious statements, claiming that the VAR referee refused to show the footage that clearly proves there was a penalty. We know the match won’t be replayed, but it’s unacceptable to witness such behaviour from a VAR official. VAR exists to correct mistakes — nothing else.”

CAF is yet to officially respond to the complaint. Notably, in a similar case last year, CAF sanctioned Gabonese referee Pierre Atcho, his assistants Boris Ditsoga (Gabon) and Carine Atezambong (Cameroon), along with VAR referees Samir Guezzaz (Morocco) and Mahmoud El Banna (Egypt), after multiple officiating errors marred the Senegal–Côte d'Ivoire round of 16 clash at the 2023 AFCON.