‘He shouldn’t have been there’- Motsepe on Tunisian FA president in CAFD Appeals Board in AFCON ruling

According to the CAF statutes and governance reports, a president of a member association should not serve on the CAF Appeals Board, as they cannot be seen as impartial. Nasri, who is alleged to be close to Morocco, and his presence on the CAF Appeal Board is reported to have compromised the neutrality of that ruling.

"I think you were in my meeting this morning about the gentleman from Tunisia. Yeah, let me just repeat. No, you asked a very – because I asked the same question. I said, guys, how – you know, I am even reluctant to talk to the members of the care of judicial bodies when there's a matter because these Chinese walls must not be only as strong. It's got to be as far apart as possible. And when [Augustine] Senghor called me, I didn't even know the judgment because they know that I must not get any preferential access," said Motsepe

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"The process is they tell the parties and then when they finish the – so Senghor must have heard from the parties because I didn't know it. And when I was told that – because I didn't even know the people who were part of that decision and simply because I have to respect the process. And when they said to me, one of the people is the president of a member assoc

iation, I said, guys, what the hell is this? You know, how did he get there? And they gave me all of these legal explanations which number one is a lawyer, he's been appointed."

Nasri was previously the CAF Appeal Board’s Vice-President, but at the time, he was not an FA President. However, he is now prohibited from serving on that sub-committee, as it constitutes a conflict of interest under Article 13 of the CAF appeal jury regulations. Motsepe says that, although the legal advice he’s received indicates that everything was above board regarding Nasri’s participation in the appeals board, there are lessons to be learned once this matter is over.

Motsepe has also reiterated that they will accept whatever decision the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) takes regarding Senegal’s appeal against the CAF Appeals Board’s ruling. He also clarified that, as CAF, they had to respect the independence of their judicial bodies, and this does not mean they support anyone.