By: Lamara Garba

What was meant to be a crowning moment for African football on Sunday 18 January 2026 in Rabat instead became a painful reminder that the game can be wounded not only by defeat but by injustice. The final between host Morocco and Senegal should have been decided by courage skill and tactical brilliance. Sadly it was overshadowed by poor and biased officiating that has left a deep scar on the conscience of the continent.

At the heart of this controversy was the centre referee from the Democratic Republic of Congo Jean Jacques Ndala. His performance fell far below the standard expected of a match of such magnitude. Decisions were not merely debatable they were devastating and their cumulative effect tilted the balance of the game away from fairness and into suspicion.

Senegal scored what many saw as a legitimate and clean goal a moment that should have changed the course of the final and crowned honest effort. Instead the goal was cancelled under circumstances that defied football logic and offended the basic principles of the game. No convincing explanation followed only confusion anger and disbelief. In football when a whistle silences a rightful goal it also silences trust.

As the game drifted into its twilight another decision poured salt into an open wound. A controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco at a moment when tension was already stretched to breaking point. The call lacked clarity and consistency and once again Senegal found itself punished not by superior play but by the authority of the whistle. Football is cruel at times but it should never be unjust.

Worse still was the manner in which Senegalese players were treated for daring to question decisions that were clearly questionable. Yellow cards were handed out generously not for violent conduct or dissent that crossed the line but for simple protests born out of frustration. It appeared as though authority was being used to intimidate rather than to manage the game. When players are punished for asking for fairness then something is fundamentally wrong.

This painful episode reopened old wounds. Africans have not forgotten the semi final clash between Nigeria and Morocco officiated by Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea whose performance also drew heavy criticism and raised serious concerns among fans and observers. That match like the final in Rabat left a bitter aftertaste and strengthened the feeling that certain teams enjoy invisible advantages. When controversy repeats itself it stops being coincidence and begins to look like a pattern.

The reaction from Senegal was telling. The threat to boycott the competition was not an act of arrogance but a cry of protest against glaring injustice. It was the language of a team that felt robbed stripped of dignity and pushed to the wall. African football should never reach a point where players consider withdrawal as their only voice against bias.

While the officials must bear the heaviest responsibility the conduct of some Moroccan players during and after the match also deserves condemnation. Even in victory sportsmanship should reign supreme. The attitude displayed particularly during the medal presentation was unbecoming unsportsmanlike and lacking in discipline. Winning without respect empties victory of its meaning.

CAF now stands at a moral crossroads. Silence will only deepen suspicion and erode confidence in African competitions. This is the moment for courage not convenience. Both Jean Jacques Ndala and Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea must be sanctioned and referred to CAF and FIFA disciplinary bodies. More importantly an in depth transparent investigation must be launched to examine the officiating of these matches and to determine whether bias compromise or even match manipulation played any role. African football cannot grow on shaky foundations.

Football is a shared inheritance. It belongs to the streets and stadiums to the poor and powerful alike. When justice is denied on the pitch the whole continent feels the pain. CAF must act decisively to restore credibility strengthen officiating standards and reassure Africans that the game they love is not a scripted drama but an honest contest of skill and spirit.

Let Rabat be remembered not only as a place of controversy but as the turning point where African football chose truth over convenience and integrity over silence. Only then can the game breathe again and only then can trust return to the hearts of its people.

Lamara Garba,
Former Chairman
Kano State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)