DR ‹ › Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation, stressed that the few chaotic moments that marked the Africa Cup of Nations final should not detract from what he described as an overall successful tournament hosted by Morocco. Speaking to Ouest-France, Diallo said: «Above all, the AFCON was a magnificent tournament, brilliantly organized by Morocco. Unfortunately, a handful of incidents during the final slightly tarnished the occasion, creating a moment of disorder that affected both players and spectators». «Debates about refereeing are as old as football itself. In a way, they even help create social bonds, as controversies often become the subject of animated discussions among friends the next day at the café. That, too, is part of football», he said, commenting on the refereeing controversy. Diallo concluded by underlining the role of the federation, saying: «Our responsibility is to ensure that French refereeing operates at the highest possible level, limiting mistakes as much as possible in order to protect the integrity of the game».
