According to the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the group of supporters touched down quietly in the early hours but were met with relief, emotion, and a low-key reception after what has become one of the most politically charged football aftermaths in recent African football history.
Senegalese football supporters detained in Morocco following the controversial Africa Cup of Nations final have finally returned home after months in custody, arriving at the Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar at about 1am local time on Sunday.
According to the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the group of supporters touched down quietly in the early hours but were met with relief, emotion, and a low-key reception after what has become one of the most politically charged football aftermaths in recent African football history.
The supporters were released after receiving a royal pardon from King Mohammed VI of Morocco, ending months of diplomatic attention, protests, and legal pressure surrounding their detention.
In a statement posted on social media, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye confirmed their return, saying those freed would soon be reunited with their loved ones while expressing gratitude to the Moroccan monarch for what he described as “clemency and humanity.”
