Online Reporter
THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe on Wednesday said he would welcome a corruption investigation, adding the body had nothing to hide after meeting Senegalese officials in Dakar.
Senegal last month called for a probe after CAF stripped it of the 2025 AFCON title and awarded it to Morocco.
Senegal’s government last month demanded an investigation into corruption after the country was stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title by the CAF Appeal Board and the trophy awarded to final opponents Morocco.
It follows unruly scenes inthe January 18 decider in Rabat that Senegal won 1-0, but during which they left the field for several minutes in protest at a late refereeing decision.
Motsepe met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal president Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday, where he urged unity following the fall-out from the final.
He was scheduled to be in Morocco yesterday for a similar set of meetings.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution,” Motsepe told reporters. “In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full co-operation.
“I have been told there were problems in the past and we intervened. It is not just in football, but in business and politics too. We cannot give our children the perception that if you want to succeed in life, be corrupt. There has to be zero tolerance (for corruption).
“That’s the best gift we can give football in Africa. Not just talking about corruption, but intervene, put the necessary laws (in place) and implement them.”
Motsepe would not be drawn on the matter between Senegal and Morocco which is now in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t said already 10, 15, 20 times.
“You can ask me the same question 100 times, I’ll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest (sports) court in the world.”
Motsepe quashed any suggestion that Morocco had been treated favourably in the appeal process.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” he said. — france24.com
Mathew Masinge