Senegal was disqualified from next year’s African Cup of Nations on Tuesday, although the country was already about to be eliminated in qualifying when its fans rioted and caused the game against Ivory Coast to be abandoned.
The Confederation of African Football said Senegal was thrown out of qualifying and therefore the tournament in January and February because of the trouble at Leopold Senghor stadium in Dakar on Saturday. It caused the game to be called off by the referee late in the second half.
There could be other punishments for Senegal, CAF said in its statement, if the body’s disciplinary board chooses to act further. CAF confirmed Ivory Coast was the winner of the match and would proceed to the African Cup in South Africa.
Ivory Coast was leading 2-0 in the 74th minute of the second leg – and 6-2 on aggregate in the final round of qualifying – when Senegalese fans set fire to their own flag and began tearing up the stands, throwing missiles onto the pitch and attacking visiting supporters.
The supporters tore apart a section of the metal fencing separating two parts of the stadium, forcing police to fire tear gas to break up the mob.
Both Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast team and the Senegal players gathered in the centre circle and were surrounded by police. Visiting Ivorian supporters were also herded onto the stadium turf so that security forces could protect them.
Senegal President Macky Sall, who was attending a summit in Congo, apologised for the incidents.