Pape Matar Sarr Urges Release of Senegal Supporters Detained Following AFCON Final in Morocco

Pape Matar Sarr, the Tottenham footballer, has insisted on the release of 18 Senegalese supporters who have been held in Morocco since the Africa Cup of Nations final last month.

The Senegalese fans were involved in confrontations with riot police during a break in the match that lasted an astonishing 17 minutes, following a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco, which they ultimately failed to convert.

Sarr, who was unable to play in the final due to illness, witnessed his teammates secure a 1-0 victory over the hosts Morocco, marking only the second time Senegal has clinched the AFCON title.

On Tuesday, a month after the AFCON final, Sarr took to X to demand the release of his fellow countrymen, describing their current circumstances as an 'injustice'.

He mentioned, 'Thirty days of detention for supporters whose only crime was to support their team with passion,' highlighting the seriousness of the situation in his social media post.

Sarr continued, 'We strongly denounce this injustice and demand their release. Total support for our compatriots.'

His statement arrives just two days prior to the scheduled court appearance for the 18 fans on Thursday.

Following the disturbances during the AFCON final, both the Moroccan and Senegalese football associations faced fines totaling nearly £1 million.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) imposed penalties of approximately £914,000 on the two associations.

Furthermore, Senegal's coach, Pape Thiaw, received a five-match suspension and a fine of £72,000 for unsporting conduct after he instructed players to depart from the pitch in response to the controversial decision made by the referee to award an extra-time penalty to Morocco, having previously denied Senegal a similar opportunity only minutes before.

Additionally, the Senegalese Football Association was fined £445,000 due to failings in managing the conduct of their team and the behavior of certain supporters, which led to violence with security officials at the stadium.