CAF official Raymond Hack ignites controversy by claiming Morocco staged a 1976 AFCON walkout as debate intensifies over Senegal ruling

Former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board, Raymond Hack, has reignited debate in African football after claiming that Morocco’s national team once staged a walkout during the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final round.

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The Morocco AFCON walkout controversy comes amid growing tension following a CAF Appeals Board decision involving Senegal and Morocco, which has continued to generate widespread reactions across the football community.

Hack made the claim during an interview with sports journalist Robert Marawa on Wednesday, while reacting to the recent ruling that stripped Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title and awarded the championship to Morocco.

The CAF Appeals Board had ruled that Senegal breached Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations after several players walked off the pitch in protest against a refereeing decision during the final.

The verdict followed an appeal by Morocco against an earlier decision from CAF’s Disciplinary Committee, which had initially dismissed its case challenging the match outcome.

The ruling has since sparked intense debate within African football circles, with legal and sporting interpretations of the incident dividing opinion.

Adding historical context, Hack referenced the 1976 AFCON tournament, arguing that it set a precedent for similar disputes.

He claimed Morocco had previously walked off during a decisive match against Guinea before returning to complete the game.

“There are precedents in this regard,” Hack said.

“Go back to the 1976 AFCON when Guinea played Morocco, and Morocco walked off the pitch. Then they came back onto the pitch. The game was not abandoned.”

The 1976 tournament format was notably different from today’s structure, featuring only eight teams and a final round-robin stage involving Morocco, Guinea, Nigeria and Egypt.

Morocco eventually secured its first AFCON title after a decisive late result against Guinea.

The Morocco AFCON walkout controversy has added further complexity to ongoing discussions about disciplinary consistency within CAF competitions.

Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has filed an urgent appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging the CAF Appeals Board ruling.

The Senegalese government has also called for an independent international investigation into alleged irregularities within CAF’s decision-making process.

Also read: CAF Announces Ambitious AFCON Expansion to 28 Teams

As legal proceedings continue, the dispute has deepened divisions in African football governance and raised broader questions about precedent and fairness in continental competitions.