Moroccan second-division side USM Oujda has officially parted ways with Senegalese midfielder Issa Ndiaye, citing a breach of professional conduct. The 21-year-old’s contract was rescinded after he reportedly used social media to mock the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to retrospectively strip Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. The club’s management characterized Ndiaye’s public remarks as a profound sign of disrespect toward the continental governing body and the host nation, leading to his immediate dismissal from the squad.
The controversy stems from an unprecedented ruling by the CAF Appeal Board on Tuesday, which overturned the result of the January 18 final held in Rabat. Although the “Teranga Lions” had originally secured a 1–0 victory on the pitch thanks to an extra-time strike by Pape Gueye, the match was marred by a chaotic sequence in which the Senegalese team staged a 17-minute walk-off to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco. While the squad eventually returned to complete the game following an intervention by captain Sadio Mané, CAF determined that the mid-game abandonment constituted a severe violation of tournament regulations.
Under the specific provisions of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON handbook, the Appeal Board ruled that Senegal’s refusal to play during that 17-minute window triggered an automatic forfeiture. As a result, the original 1–0 scoreline was nullified and replaced with an administrative 3–0 win for the “Atlas Lions,” effectively handing Morocco their first continental crown since 1976. The decision has sparked intense debate across the footballing world, with many veteran analysts labeling the retrospective stripping of a trophy as “unjustifiable” despite the clear regulatory breach.
For Ndiaye, who had only recently joined USM Oujda for the 2025/26 season, the fallout from the ruling has proven professionally fatal. By publicly satirizing the decision on his Instagram stories, the defensive midfielder found himself at odds with a club hierarchy that prioritizes diplomatic relations with national and continental authorities. As Senegal prepares to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Ndiaye now faces an uncertain future as a free agent, his tenure in Moroccan football cut short by the very same controversy that has shaken the foundations of African football.
