Boukary Dramé fears the impact of the African final crisis on the continent's reputation
Boukary Dramé, the former Senegal international, has voiced his dismay at the legal dispute surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco, warning of its repercussions on the image of football across the African continent.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after the match went to 120 minutes. CAF then decided to consider Morocco the winners of the title, a decision Senegal are challenging before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The court held a hearing on the case the day before yesterday, on Thursday. A ruling is expected within the coming days, though no specific date has been announced.
Speaking to the website "Africa Foot", which specialises in African football, Dramé insisted Senegal will have to accept the final decision, even if it goes against their wishes. The case, he pointed out, has reached a stage where the law must be the arbiter.
The former player said: "Once the case reaches this level, it is unfortunately part of the game. Even if we do not accept it, it is possible the title will go to Morocco, which is not what I hope for. But they will, in spite of everything, be within the framework of the law, and it is the law that decides the matter. And if the ruling comes out considering them African champions before CAF and everyone, then we have to accept it. Unfortunately, they will be entirely within their rights according to the current situation."
Dramé: "We are giving the image of a continent that is not serious"
Capped by Senegal between 2005 and 2016, Dramé stressed that the crisis does its greatest damage to the image of African football. A continental title could be decided off the pitch, after the match itself ended with a Senegal win.
He added: "It is regrettable that we are giving the image of a continent that is not serious and still has a long way to go to reach the level of the Europeans. I believe we have everything needed to achieve that, but we will learn. I hope this phase will be a reason for us to develop, and that such things will not be repeated in the future. That is the goal, to learn from our mistakes."
An exceptional case that could leave a mark on African football
Dramé touched on how exceptional the case is, explaining that he had never experienced anything like it. He knows of previous instances of teams leaving the pitch during matches without facing similar penalties, according to what has emerged in the archives.
This final, though, is different. The match continued to its conclusion, which in his view makes the case an unusual one.
The former Paris Saint-Germain player said: "I have never experienced a situation like this before. I saw that after this case, many old instances came to light in which teams left the pitch during matches and were not penalised. It seems that has indeed happened before, but this case is different, as the match reached its conclusion. I can say it is the first time."
Morocco's representatives left the premises of the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the hearing without making any statements. Abdoulaye Sidou Sow, the General Secretary of the Senegalese Football Federation, affirmed that his country had presented a good defence during the session.