Morocco-Senegal dispute over CAN 2025 final highlights complexities of sports law

The dispute stemming from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal has evolved beyond a mere sporting disagreement, revealing the intricate rules, procedures, and principles that govern international sports law. During a recent meeting in Rabat organized by the lawyers' sector of the Party of Progress and Socialism, legal experts offered a detailed legal analysis of the case. They emphasized that sports law is an autonomous field, structured by its own rules, bodies, and mechanisms, as highlighted by Me El Arbi Fendi, coordinator of the lawyers' sector and a member of the Sports Arbitration Chamber. Fendi stressed the significant legal implications for Morocco, necessitating a thorough legal review beyond the match itself. Me Tarik Mossadak, a lawyer in Casablanca, noted that sport is now a multi-billion-dollar industry with enormous economic and political stakes, making sports justice distinct from state justice. This distinct system operates under its own normative framework, known as lex sportiva, which transcends national legal systems. However, Me Issam El Ibrahimi, a lawyer in Casablanca and president of the Mediterranean Center for Studies and Research in Sports Law, underscored that decisions by sports federations must adhere to the principle of legality, respect defense rights, and ensure fair trials. Me Taha El Meskouri, a sports law specialist in Rabat, explained the hierarchical structure of sports rules, including CAF statutes, disciplinar