CAF Referees Committee chairman Eddy Maillet has made a surprising statement about the refereeing in the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Egypt, amid claims that the match officials “favoured” the Senegal players.
In comments that quickly drew attention, Maillet said the officiating team in the final did not commit any major mistakes that could have changed the course of the game, insisting the referee handled the key moments correctly.
The remarks come after the final, which ended 0-0 before Senegal won on penalties to lift the trophy, sparked wide debate over several decisions, including incidents inside the box involving Mohamed Salah and Senegal defenders.
Maillet stressed that the referee’s decisions were in line with the laws of the game and that VAR was used appropriately, dismissing the idea that there was bias during the match.
His comments are expected to fuel further discussion, especially among those who felt Egypt were denied certain calls during the final, while CAF’s position remains that the match was officiated to the required standard.
