The three Senegalese fans who have been released recount their ordeal in Morocco

Ibrahima Diop, Aziz Wade and Abdoulaye Diagne looked back on this ordeal, which they describe as one of the most difficult experiences of their lives.

They had been imprisoned in Morocco since the incidents that occurred during the Africa Cup of Nations final on 18 January 2026 between Senegal and Morocco. Of the 18 supporters in detention, three were released last Saturday after serving a three-month sentence. Back in Senegal, they recounted the events in Rabat.

For Abdoulaye Diagne, the language barrier played a major role in the tensions that led to the incidents. According to him, communication between the Moroccan police and the Senegalese supporters was extremely difficult.

The Moroccan police officers essentially only understood Arabic; very few of them spoke French. On our side, some spoke only Wolof. I am convinced that most of the incidents stemmed from this language barrier. The steward used a chair to attack a supporter. It was this action that sparked the clashes.

Aziz Wade, for his part, described the shock of the arrest and the fear he felt at the thought of the consequences for their loved ones.

It was very trying. The moment we were told we were under arrest was the hardest. Our thoughts immediately turned to our families.

For his part, Ibrahima Diop spoke of the psychological impact of this detention, marked by periods of self-doubt.

We went through moments of extreme difficulty, to the point where we sometimes wavered internally. We are human beings. I thought a lot about my family and the spiritual bond between Senegal and Morocco. I cried over it.