You won't be able to decide the winner until the World Cup... Trophy robbing 'Chongeuk' → An angry appeal 'All-time mud fight'

*This content was translated by AI.

The status of the Major Continental Cup is falling through the floor. Following an unprecedented situation in which the winner changes two months after lifting the trophy, a court battle is taking place to recover the deprived trophy.

British media 'BBC' reported on the 26th (Korea Standard Time) that "the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced that it would conclude as quickly as possible on Senegal's appeal to deprive them of the African Cup of Nations trophy."

"We are well aware that the team and fans are eagerly waiting for the final decision," CAS Secretary-General Mathieu Reeve said. "We will proceed with the arbitration process as quickly as possible while respecting the fair hearing rights of all parties."

However, the 'BBC' also hinted at the possibility of a prolonged situation. Raymond Hack, former chairman of the African Football Federation (CAF) disciplinary committee, warned on the BBC that "the process may take another six months to reach a conclusion."

According to this scenario, an absurd situation in which the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup will be held without confirming the winner of the Nations Cup could be created.

On the same day, British 'Sky Sports' also focused on Senegal's appeal. Senegal reportedly won their second career championship with a 1-0 win over Morocco on January 18, but the score was later corrected to 0-3 forfeiture by CAF's decision.

The beginning of the incident occurred just before the end of regular time at the time of the final. When a penalty was declared in the extra time for host Morocco, the Senegalese team, which was protesting against it, left the ground without permission, and the game was suspended for about 17 minutes. Since then, the game has resumed and Senegal has lifted the trophy with the winning goal of extra-time Pape Gueye, but the Moroccan Football Association (FRMF) has appealed, defining it as a refusal to play.

It was an unprecedented skit in a major tournament that boasts the continent's highest authority. Initially, the CAF disciplinary committee fined Senegal only $1 million (about 1.48 billion won) and maintained the outcome of the game, but the higher-level agency, the Appeals Committee, reversed it and disqualified Senegal from winning the championship and ruled in favor of Morocco.

The furious Senegalese side immediately appealed to CAS. "Football is played in the stadium, not in the office," Augustine Saint-Gor, CAF executive member and former president of the Senegalese Football Association, said in an interview with the BBC. "It is a very mean act to take the trophy and give it to Morocco in violation of its own rules and FIFA's game regulations." Abdullaye Pal, president of the Senegal Football Association, also criticized the unfair and unprecedented decision, saying, "From a legal point of view, there is no reason for Senegal to lose the title."

On the other hand, Morocco coach Mohamed Ouabi, who took the helm after Walid Regragui earlier this month, refutes, "Morocco's qualification for the championship is sufficient." "CAF is under the control of FIFA President Gianni Infantino," former Senegal national team coach Claude Leroy said, "This decision completely killed the spirit of this tournament, which was the most beautiful in history."

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*This content was translated by AI.