DAKAR-(MaraviPost)-The Senegal national football team voluntarily handed over the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy to armed forces personnel, following a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The player chose to give up the trophy to ensure the security and protection of the cup, amid fears of potential disputes or unrest.

The decision comes shortly after the CAF faced intense scrutiny over its ruling on the rightful winner of the recent AFCON tournament.

Senegal had initially celebrated as champions but CAF later confirmed that Morocco would officially be awarded the trophy following a formal arbitration process.

The CAF ruling followed an appeal by Senegal, who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the tournament. However, the arbitration panel determined that errors during the competition had given Senegal an unfair advantage.

As a result, the panel concluded that Morocco was the rightful winner, prompting CAF to arrange for the trophy to be transferred to the North African nation.

The Senegalese player’s gesture of handing over the trophy personally to security forces was widely seen as a move of goodwill, aiming to prevent any tensions from escalating among fans.

This incident has sparked heated debates among football supporters across Africa and Europe, many of whom expressed mixed reactions to CAF’s ruling.

Some fans praised the Senegalese player for showing sportsmanship and respecting the arbitration outcome, while others voiced frustration over what they perceive as an unfair decision.

CAF officials stated that the transfer of the trophy would take place under tight security, emphasizing that the integrity of the tournament must be upheld at all costs.

Meanwhile, Morocco has welcomed the decision, with local authorities preparing a grand ceremony to receive the AFCON trophy on home soil.