CAF Official Calls Claims Against President Patrice Motsepe 'Very Insulting' Over AFCON 2025 Decision

The Confederation of African Football Head of TV and Media Communications, Lux September, has defended president Patrice Motsepe following the ruling to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.

CAF announced the decision on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, noting that Senegal had been stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title due to a pitch walk-off during the final.

The governing body’s appeal board overturned the original result and awarded host nation Morocco a 3–0 walkover victory, citing a breach of tournament regulations regarding match forfeiture.

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However, Lux September has come forward to explain that president Patrice Motsepe had nothing to do with the decision and was only informed afterwards.

Speaking on 947 Joburg, Lux September emphasised that, while his own passion for football often inspires strong personal opinions, he recognises the importance of separating fandom from professional judgment.

He highlighted that Motsepe approaches his role with integrity and careful adherence to established procedures, suggesting that questions about his personal preferences regarding the outcome are irrelevant compared to his commitment to ensuring a fair and ethical process.

“We must give space to the legal process that is happening right now, and before I'm a football official, I'm a crazy football fan. I have strong views as a fan, but I have a lot of discipline in the work that I do,” Lux September said.

“I know the president of CAF has a lot of discipline in relation to the application, so when someone today can ask me, does Dr Motsepe like or don't like the decision? I don't think that is a correct question. Is he committed to a fair ethical process?”

He further addressed speculation that Patrice Motsepe could be influenced by outside parties, calling such claims insulting and unfounded.

Lux September explained that, based on his extensive experience travelling with Patrice Motsepe across Africa, the president commands respect from many heads of state, who often address him by his first name, demonstrating that he operates independently at the highest levels.

September emphasised that Patrice Motsepe does not rely on anyone to navigate political or administrative influence, and that assumptions about him being beholden to others are misplaced.

“I saw people with this thing of saying he might be in the pockets of Morocco or whatever it is. It's a very insulting thing because I always ask them what they think that president Motsepe would need from anyone, and I don't know if there are pockets of anyone. I'm not saying this about Morocco. I'm just talking in general,” he shared.

“You know, I've been privileged enough to be around the continent with him to meet a lot of heads of state. Most of them call him by his first name. Yeah. So, he doesn't really need anyone to hold his hand to introduce him to the highest authorities. I'm talking about heads of state on the African continent. Call him by his first name.”

Lux September added that the CAF president was not involved in the appeals committee’s decision regarding the AFCON 2025 final.

He clarified that the chairman of the appeals panel acted independently and did not consult Motsepe, who was not even present in Cairo during the hearings.

September emphasised that Motsepe received the verdict only after the process concluded, underscoring that any interference from the president in judicial matters would be highly concerning and contrary to proper governance.

“100%. I mean, first of all, I can assure you 100% the president of the appeals committee, the chairman, did not speak to President Motsepe about the decision at all, as it is correctly so because President Motsepe does not interfere with the processes. President Motsepe was not physically present in Cairo when they were during the hearing,” he noted.

“He got the verdict as a post-factor, and as it should be, and I think the day the president of CAF gets involved and muddies or the president of anything muddies in judicial processes, we should be very afraid.”