The shocking and unprecedented news that this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Senegal will be stripped of their title, which will instead go to beaten finalists Morocco, has sent shockwaves across the continent’s football community.

Senegal’s football federation have confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the federation’s secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow quick to express his feelings.

“We will contact our lawyers and file an appeal. We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side,” Sow announced on state radio RTS, calling the decision a “disgrace for Africa.”

Titles being stripped retrospectively is rare in football. Juventus were stripped of two Serie A league titles in the mid 2000s due to match fixing and Marseille had a Ligue 1 trophy taken off them for a bribery scandal in 1993. More recently, Romania were awarded a 3-0 win over Kosovo in 2024 after the Kosovo team walked off in the final minute of their match in Romania when when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from home fans, which Romania has denied. The game was not resumed, and UEFA concluded that Kosovo were responsible.

With that in mind, this decision is seismic, especially after the matter appeared to be settled at the end of January when both teams were fined and Morocco’s appeal was dismissed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

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“The timing is really bad. CAF should have taken a decision earlier, quicker. The situation has only rotted more and more,” said DW’s Ali Farhat, an African football expert who was at tournament and final for DW. “Plus, if Senegal wins in front of the CAS, the CAF is going to look less and less credible as an institution. It is really bad for African football.”

Collins Okinyo, a former CAF media consultant, agrees.

“It puts African football under a lot of scrutiny because the decision has shocked almost everyone,” he told DW.

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‘Value of African football will go down’

Okinyo doesn’t believe Morocco can be blamed for pursuing the letter of the law, a view supported by Moncef El Yazghi, a Moroccan researcher author, and expert in sports politics.

“The most important factor is the application of the law,” El Yazghi told DW. “Announcing the title two months after the end of the tournament is secondary, as history remembers titles and results rather than the surrounding circumstances.

“Moreover, this establishes a vital legal precedent that will deter other teams from withdrawing from matches whenever a referee’s decision does not suit them—a behavior that has unfortunately been observed in several matches across the African continent in recent weeks.”

Combined with the recent news that the women’s AFCON has again been delayed, the image of African football has definitely enjoyed brighter days. 

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“If you look at it critically, the value of African football will definitely go down with this,” Okinyo said.

A lot of criticism has surrounded the referee’s handling of a chaotic final in which Senegal left the pitch after having a late goal disallowed before seeing Morocco awarded an injury time penalty which they missed on the resumption of play.

“It is important to remember that several top officials from CAF and the tournament hierarchy were present at the stadium, which may have shaped how events unfolded,” Okinyo said. “It’s a situation that deserves deeper reflection.”

DW has contacted CAF with a series of questions but has not yet received a reply.

Morocco within rights to appeal

Morocco is clearly emerging as a major hub in African football, but talk of influence is without foundation, said El Yazghi.

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“The suggestion that there was Moroccan interference in the decision is incorrect; Morocco simply exercised its right to litigation,” he said. “Morocco does not ‘control’ CAF. This is evidenced by the fact that Morocco lost two Women’s AFCON finals on home soil, one of which was due to a clear refereeing error. CAF has its own jurisdictions and authorities, and its integrity cannot be questioned without evidence. Ultimately, CAS will have the final word—unless one believes Morocco controls CAS as well.”

With Senegal’s appeal now going to the highest court in sport, tougher questions will follow. How did it reach this point? What were the decisions that led to chaos in the final?

But, for many, the saddest part is that this dispute comes off the back of an Africa Cup of Nations widely considered to be a major success for both host Morocco and the continent.

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Final overshadows successful tournament

“The AFCON in Morocco was the best ever,” Okinyo said. “A lot was done to improve facilities and the organization was perfect, but the tournament was overshadowed by the final. It was one of the worst things to happen. The impact is heavy. African football led by [CAF President] Patrice Motsepe has to find a way to bring things back to life, because at this moment the damage is so big.”

While this story will roll on, El Yazghi believes that, contrary to much reporting, the image of football in Africa should be burnished by the decision.

“The real issue is that some still wish to maintain hegemony over Africa and manage its affairs on its behalf,” El Yazghi argued. “When a decision is made by CAF, it is suddenly viewed as a loss of credibility. Why? Why don’t we instead say that CAF has implemented the law and provided fair litigation opportunities to all parties? That is the real question.”

Ali Farhat and Hicham Driouich contributed to this article.

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Edited by: Matt Pearson

For as quietly as unbeaten Lerone Murphy has snuck up on the UFC featherweight title picture, his spinning back elbow knockout of Aaron Pico last August — on short notice, no less — proved to be a resoundingly loud statement that his ascension upon the rankings can no longer be denied. 

“I’m used to people overlooking me,” Murphy told CBS Sports HQ on Tuesday. “I’m like the silent assassin. I come in and people underestimate me. That’s the worst thing they can ever do.”

Although the 34-year-old native of Manchester, England, did not get the immediate title shot he coveted by recording his ninth straight win inside the Octagon, Murphy (17-0-1) was given what likely amounts to one more chance to prove himself in Saturday’s final eliminator. 

Murphy, the No. 3 ranked featherweight, will enter as a slight betting underdog when he faces fellow unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Movsar Evloev (19-0) inside the O2 Arena in the main event of UFC Fight Night in London (special start time of 4 p.m. ET on Paramount+). Even though neither fighter has been guaranteed a title shot with a win, the expectations remain that a strong performance from the winner should be enough. 

Sign up for Paramount+ and Watch UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

While Murphy, who replaced an injured Evloev against Pico, isn’t bitter about being passed over by matchmakers for Alex Volkanovski’s February title defense in Australia at UFC 235, he did call the champion’s subsequent decision win over Diego Lopes, whom Volkanovski fought for the second straight time, an “I told you so” moment. 

“For sure, I thought that all fingers pointed in [my] direction [after knocking out Pico,]” Murphy said. “Obviously, before I stepped in, people were saying Movsar and Pico were in a No. 1 contender fight. I took that fight on short notice in the co-main event and KOed him in spectacular fashion on a big card. I thought straight away there was no one else Volkanovski could’ve fought and I thought I would be the guy.”

Evloev, a 32-year-old from Russia, has been slowed down considerably by a series of injuries and illnesses in recent years that have limited him to just four fights over the past four years. The good news for Evloev’s title hopes, however, is that all four fights came against elite competition — Dan Ige, Lopez, Arnold Allen and Aljamain Sterling — that made his inclusion in such a fight as this inevitable. 

Murphy, on the other hand, has embarked upon a journey over the past 15 years of his adult life that has been anything but normal, predictable or easy. So, when tasked with the challenge of waiting for his moment against all odds, Murphy can take solace in the fact that he has learned to feel a sense of destiny carrying him throughout each difficult step up the ladder. 

“I’m wired differently. I believe I’m cut from a different cloth,” Murphy said. “Many people wouldn’t have even started training after what I went through.”

If it isn’t already crazy enough to consider that Murphy didn’t begin training MMA until the age of 22, what happened to him one year prior in 2013 is almost unthinkable. 

Years after a teenage knee injury cut short his goal of becoming a professional soccer player, a 21-year-old Murphy had graduated college but severely lacked direction. After falling into local gang culture, he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time exiting a barber shop when a car drove by and shot him three times in the neck and face. 

A conscious Murphy went to spit out blood and bullets literally came out onto the sidewalk next to him. He lost teeth, needed a tracheotomy to breathe and spent a week in intensive care. To this day, he still has a bullet shard embedded in his tongue. 

Not only did Murphy miraculously survive, however, the experience turned his life around as he began training MMA in earnest the following year. Five years later, he made his UFC debut in 2019, fighting Zubaira Tukhugov to an exciting split draw at UFC 242 in a fight that would trigger the nine-bout winning streak that followed. 

But that’s not where Murphy, who aptly calls himself “The Miracle,” would see his setbacks and challenges end. In 2022, just seven months after a highlight-reel knockout of Makwan Amirkhani raised his UFC profile considerably, Murphy was struck by a car in a cycling accident that left him bleeding with a head injury. 

The accident became yet another near-fatal experience when it took an ambulance 45 minutes to arrive on the scene, nearly causing Murphy to bleed to death. Murphy, who was told he would never fight again, somehow returned to the Octagon just 10 months later when he took a split decision from Gabriel Santos in London.

“I think it’s destiny and I believe it’s my calling to then pass this story on to the younger generation,” Murphy said. “There are a lot of people who go through things and come across some hurdles and they are not able to get past it. I believe I’m the person able to show people it is doable, especially from the kids coming from deprived areas. That is one of my goals to do after fighting, to get these guys the opportunity and mindset to look around them and do better.

“I just think it’s consistency, faith and having a good support system around you. Because it’s like, if you have no one to lean on in tough times, it’s hard but if you have a good support system, I believe you are stronger than anything.”

Against Evloev, the task is simple for Murphy, who has yielded at least four takedowns in five of his 10 UFC bouts — keep his back off of the mat. Should the fight be a five-round kickboxing match, the advantage moves quickly into the favor of Murphy but that won’t be easy considering Evloev averages just shy of five takedowns per 15 minutes. 

But at the end of the day, especially after exciting Brazilian striker Jean Silva has already publicly announced that he believes he is next for Volkanovski, Murphy knows that a victory isn’t enough. He will need to be exciting. 

“I think everybody knows what the guys from that region do. Movsar is an excellent grappler, wrestler and I think it’s clear as day that are his strengths,” Murphy said. “I think he’s well-rounded and can fight everywhere but I just believe in myself. I just think I’m very creative, very smart in there. I don’t just fight. I’m always setting things up, I’m always changing distance and letting it go. I think that’s just where the difference will be. 

“I think he can hang with anyone on the feet for a certain time but I think the longer he stands with me, the greater chance he has of getting knocked out. I just want to go out there and have a good fight. I don’t want the fight to be boring, I just want to have a good fight.”

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Linebacker Chazz Surratt didn’t stay with the Minnesota Vikings for long, and last season, the man won a Super Bowl with Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks. Now, he’s on his way back, as Seattle re-upped with Surratt on Tuesday.

Seattle kept a familiar depth piece in the building.

Surratt didn’t physically play in the Super Bowl, but he got a ring anyway.

Surratt Still Has Value on Seattle’s Special Teams Unit

The Seahawks get the band back together with a special teams move.

Surratt Re-Ups with SEA

Surratt is on tap to make it two years in a row with the reigning champions. NBC Sports‘ Charean William wrote Tuesday, “The Seahawks are re-signing inside linebacker and core special teams player Chazz Surratt to a one-year deal, Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports. Surratt, 29, spent last season with the Seahawks after they signed him Aug. 28 following his release by the 49ers.”

“He played 60 percent of the Seahawks’ special teams snaps before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury. He was activated back to the active roster before Super Bowl LX but was inactive for the game.”

Most assume Surratt will resume a special teams role.

Seattle’s LBs

Surratt isn’t guaranteed a roster spot when training camp and the preseason roll around, but Seattle seems to enjoy him on special teams. With the NFL Draft five weeks away, these are the Seahawks’ off-ball linebackers:

• Ernest Jones IV
• Uchenna Nwosu
• Drake Thomas
• Tyrice Thomas
• Patrick O’Connell
• Derick Hall
• Chris Paul Jr.
• Chazz Surratt
• Connor O’Toole
• Ja’Markis Weston

It’s also worth noting that Seattle featured the NFL’s best defense in 2025 and was central to its Super Bowl win. Darnold, also a former Viking, received much of the media’s attention, and rightfully so because of his reclamation story, but Mike Macdonald’s defense proved to be the special sauce.

Seattle Sports‘ Brent Stecker on the Surratt re-signing: “With the reunion with Surratt, the Seahawks have brought back 10 players who were set to be free agents this offseason, while five have left the Super Bowl champs for other teams. With Surratt off the market, the Seahawks have just a handful of names left from their season-ending roster remaining in free agency.”

“They are wide receiver Jake Bobo, a restricted free agent who Seattle has extended a right of first refusal tender to, and wide receiver Cody White, who was a restricted free agent who the Seahawks did not tender. There is also cornerback Tyler Hall, who Seattle released last week.”

Surratt’s Career Resume to Date

After leaving Minnesota, Surratt settled into a journeyman role, moving between teams and primarily contributing on special teams. Last season, he appeared in 11 games, playing the majority of his snaps (181) on special teams under Macdonald, where Seattle utilizes him in kick coverage. He has played just seven defensive snaps.

This usage mirrors his career as a whole. Over four seasons, Surratt has played in 52 games, starting five, and totaling 153 defensive snaps. His most active season was in 2024 with the Giants, when he played all 17 games and recorded 18 defensive tackles, in addition to 10 special-teams tackles.

This career profile led to a quiet 2025 free agency period. Surratt remained unsigned for over two months before San Francisco evaluated him in late May. When that opportunity didn’t pan out, Seattle signed him, making them his fourth NFL team.

Surratt’s situation shifted quickly in Minnesota four years ago. The initial enthusiasm surrounding his selection as a 3rd-Round pick diminished when Mike Zimmer’s departure led to Kevin O’Connell’s arrival. By 2022, Surratt was on the verge of being cut and never regained his footing. His tenure with the Vikings concluded after nine games as a rookie in 2021, all on special teams.

His official career ledger:

• Minnesota Vikings (2021)
• New York Jets (2022–2024)
• San Francisco 49ers (2025)
• Seattle Seahawks (2025-now)

The Seahawks’ Free Agency Moves

Seattle has used free agency to re-sign many of its existing players, which makes sense given the almighty success in 2025. Here’s the list of newcomers and re-signings:

• Noah Igbinoghene (CB) WAS → SEA
• Josh Jobe (CB) SEA → SEA
• Josh Jones (RT) SEA → SEA
• Shemar Jean-Charles (CB) SEA → SEA
• Brandon Pili (DL) SEA → SEA
• Brady Russell (TE) SEA → SEA
• Rashid Shaheed (WR) SEA → SEA
• Chazz Surratt (LB) SEA → SEA
• Rodney Thomas (S) IND → SEA
• Emanuel Wilson (RB) GB → SEA

And those finding the exit sign:

• Boye Mafe (ED) SEA → CIN
• Coby Bryant (S) SEA → CHI
• Dareke Young (WR) SEA → LV
• Kenneth Walker III (RB) SEA → KC
• Tariq Woolen (CB) SEA → PHI

Surratt will turn 30 next offseason.

Former McLaren F1 team boss Andreas Seidl is reportedly in contention to replace Adrian Newey as Aston Martin team principal. It is believed that Newey himself is leading the search to find a new team boss at Silverstone after he replaced Andy Cowell in this role in 2026.

Adrian Newey arrived at Aston Martin in 2025 with the view of leading the design of the AMR26 in his role as Managing Technical Partner. But it was later announced that he would also take over the role of team principal, replacing Andy Cowell, from January 2026.

With the 2026 season having now commenced, things have not gone exactly to plan for the Silverstone-based outfit, facing numerous issues with its new Honda power unit. Amid all this, there have also been multiple questions raised about Newey and whether he can perform both his roles as team boss and technical director at the same time.

Now, PlanetF1 has claimed that Aston Martin was looking for a new team principal, with former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl in the running for the role. It is believed that Newey himself is leading the search to bring in someone to run the outfit alongside him.

Other names noted to have been approached for the role by the aforementioned outlet include Audi F1 COO Mattia Binotto and team principal Jonathan Wheatley. Another former McLaren boss, Martin Whitmarsh, is also seemingly under consideration. He was previously the Group CEO of the Aston Martin F1 outfit.

The report also claimed that the door remains open for former Red Bull boss Christian Horner. But Spanish journalist Antonio Lobato recently claimed that the Briton was not in the running.

While the name may not yet be known, it seems that Aston Martin’s hunt for a new team boss is ongoing, and that Adrian Newey is in fact seen as an interim solution, even by the man himself.

Aston Martin clarifies why Adrian Newey was not at the Chinese GP

Aston Martin Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack has clarified that Adrian Newey was never scheduled to attend the Chinese GP after questions were raised over his absence from the pit wall in Shanghai. It was reported that Newey headed straight to the team’s Silverstone facility after the season-opening Australian GP.

Speaking to the media in China, Krack, who was also formerly the team principal, revealed that Newey’s absence was always part of the plan.

“There is a plan in place about where he’s supposed to come and where he does not, so we have not changed that. I would have to go through the plan, but it was always clear that Adrian was not going to do all the races,” said Krack.

The weekend in China saw Aston Martin complete the 19-lap sprint race with both cars, in a positive development for the team and Honda. But the main race saw Lance Stroll retire after just nine laps due to technical issues, and Fernando Alonso had to retire after reporting numbness in his hands and feet from the vibrations in the AMR26.