The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially suspended Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, following his controversial decision to order his players off the field during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat.
Despite the Teranga Lions ultimately securing a 1-0 victory over host nation Morocco to claim their second continental title, the match was nearly abandoned when Thiaw led a 20-minute protest against a late VAR-awarded penalty.
CAF’s disciplinary committee moved swiftly to sanction the coach, stating that protests and walk-offs are unacceptable and that “Such actions undermine the values of fair play and the integrity of CAF competitions.”
While captain Sadio Mane was credited with eventually persuading the team to return to the pitch, CAF maintained that Thiaw’s leadership during the standoff constituted a serious breach of conduct that threatened the integrity of the tournament.
Thiaw, who led his side to glory via a Pape Gueye extra-time winner, later expressed regret for the incident, admitting that his actions were fueled by the intense emotions of the final.