The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) on Monday threw its weight behind national team coach Pape Thiaw following his controversial decision to lead players off the pitch during a recent Confederation of African Football (CAF) fixture, insisting the move was a principled stand against what it described as corruption.
In an exclusive account circulated to the media, Senegalese officials said they were “happy with Pape Thiaw getting his players off the pitch,” arguing that the action was justified and necessary under the circumstances.
“They believe it was the correct reaction to the corruption that was happening, and someone had to say no to it,” the statement said, framing the walk-off as a deliberate protest rather than an act of indiscipline.
The federation dismissed concerns over the team’s eventual return to the field, stressing that the symbolic impact had already been achieved. “Returning to the pitch later was not an issue, because the world already received the message,” the source added.
CAF has since moved to suspend Thiaw over the incident, but Senegal signalled it would challenge any punitive measures. “Senegal will do everything to fight against Pape Thiaw’s suspension by CAF,” the federation said, indicating it would pursue all available channels to overturn the decision.
The standoff deepens tensions between African football’s governing body and one of the continent’s leading national teams, with Dakar portraying the episode as a broader fight for integrity in the game rather than a breach of competition rules.
Reporting by Angel Network News (ANN).
