Condamnation des 18 supporters sénégalais : La réaction des médias marocains
The 18 Senegalese supporters arrested in Morocco during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final have all been convicted. Nine of them were sentenced to one year in prison and fined 5,000 dirhams each, or approximately 325,000 CFA francs.
Six others received six months in prison and a fine of 2,000 dirhams (125,000 CFA francs) and three were sentenced to three months in prison and a fine of 1,200 dirhams (75,000 CFA francs) per person.
In Morocco, the incident has been widely reported. "Le360," one of the country's leading media outlets, made a subtle choice of words by avoiding the term "supporter." "Prison time for 18 Senegalese hooligans," the outlet wrote. According to "Le360," the material damage caused by these Senegalese supporters during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final was estimated at nearly four million dirhams, or approximately 245 million CFA francs, "including torn-out seats, destroyed equipment, and damaged infrastructure."
For its part, the media outlet "Yabiladi" denounces the outrage in Senegal and on social media over the severity of the sentences handed down to these 18 Senegalese supporters. "Their sentencing to prison terms (...) has provoked strong indignation on social media in Senegal. Yet, these sentences are consistent with Moroccan judicial decisions regarding football-related violence," the article states. According to this Moroccan newspaper, an examination of previous Moroccan legal precedents reveals that "these sentences are neither an exception nor an unprecedented hardening of the law against foreign supporters. They are part of a consistent practice of Moroccan courts in dealing with football-related violence."
"Yabiladi" points out that over the past 15 years, several Moroccan fans arrested during stadium violence have been sentenced to prison terms, sometimes up to three years. "The sentences handed down, ranging from three to twelve months, fall within the range usually observed by Moroccan courts for this type of offense. They do not exceed the penalties already imposed on Moroccan nationals for comparable acts. In some past cases, the sentences have even been harsher," the media outlet adds.
Somewhat surprisingly, two of Morocco's largest media outlets, Médias24 and Maroc Médias, made no mention of the condemnation of the Senegalese supporters. Conversely, both websites prominently featured statements by Samir Sobha, a CAF member and president of the Mauritian Football Federation, imploring Morocco for forgiveness after "an injustice" during the AFCON final.
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