Senegalese player Krépin Diatta, of AS Monaco, has been heavily sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following his critical remarks towards the governing body of African football during the round of 16 match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations between Senegal and Ivory Coast.
During this tense encounter, which saw the Elephants defeat the Teranga Lions, Krépin Diatta expressed his dissatisfaction vehemently by stating, “You have killed us, you are corrupt. Keep your African Cup.” These remarks sparked a strong reaction, and several witnesses claim he repeated this accusation multiple times towards individuals present at the event.
CAF promptly launched an investigation following this incident, and Krépin Diatta was summoned last week by the disciplinary committee of the African institution. However, according to sources reported by L’OBS, the Senegalese player failed to present a convincing defense or provide evidence supporting his accusations.
This week, CAF delivered its verdict: Krépin Diatta received a four-match suspension, including two suspended matches. Additionally, he must pay a fine of 10 million CFA francs (over 16,000 USD) to CAF. This severe sanction represents a setback for the 24 year-old player. However, he retains the option to appeal this decision to the appellate committee of the African institution.
Currently featuring as a right winger for AS Monaco in Ligue 1, Diatta, back in March 2019, was among four young Senegalese players selected for their national team debut. He marked his debut on 23 March 2019, contributing to a 2-0 victory against Madagascar in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
