International sports tribunal overturns Senegal football federation decision on presidential election

Saturday 22 August 2026 - 11:28

By: Azzat Manal

International sports tribunal overturns Senegal football federation decision on presidential election

The international sports tribunal has overturned a decision by the Senegalese Football Federation’s appeal committee concerning the disputed presidential election held in August 2025, reopening a case that could have further implications for the federation’s leadership.

The ruling follows an appeal by former presidential candidate Mady Touré, who challenged the election of Abdoulaye Fall. Touré had previously contested the electoral process before the federation’s internal bodies, but his complaint was rejected by the federation’s appeal committee.

According to the ruling, the appeal committee must now accept Touré’s challenge and reconsider the circumstances surrounding the election that resulted in Fall being elected president. The decision does not itself declare the election invalid, but it requires the federation’s competent body to review the complaint in accordance with the tribunal’s findings.

Touré had withdrawn from the second round of the election during the federation’s electoral general assembly in August 2025. Fall subsequently secured the presidency, but Touré later challenged the process, citing alleged irregularities, particularly concerning the counting of votes.

After the federation’s appeal committee rejected his complaint, Touré took the matter to the international sports tribunal, seeking a review of the internal decision.

The latest ruling brings the Senegalese football federation’s electoral process back into the spotlight. The appeal committee will now have to examine the complaint again, potentially leading to further developments regarding the validity and conduct of the 2025 election.

The case comes amid broader discussions over the governance of Senegalese football. The tribunal’s decision adds another layer to the ongoing institutional dispute and could influence the federation’s next steps as it works to comply with the ruling.

For now, Abdoulaye Fall remains at the center of the controversy surrounding the presidency, while the next proceedings before the federation’s appeal committee will determine how the electoral dispute develops.