Sonko slams CAF’s VAR Workshop, says it’s a cover-up after Stars’ controversial exit

On Tuesday, CAF held a referees’ training session at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, bringing together match officials and accredited journalists to demystify the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

The meeting came in the wake of heated public debate after Kenya’s Ryan Ogam had a crucial goal disallowed in the quarter-final clash against Madagascar — a decision that sparked outrage and pushed Sonko to court.

In an affidavit sworn on Sunday, Sonko petitioned the court to suspend the penalty shootout result that saw Madagascar edge out Kenya, insisting that two Kenyan goals were wrongly ruled out.

He faulted CAF for not using VAR during the match, arguing it denied Kenya a historic semi-final berth.

“Why are they teaching referees how to use VAR when the matches are already coming to an end? They realized Harambee Stars’ match against Madagascar was unjust. Such training should be done before the tournament. Someone must be held accountable. We need an official response,” Sonko said.

Adding fuel to the controversy, Sonko’s lawyers revealed that CAF had demanded a physical copy of his petition, despite his team filing the complaint online within the required 48 hours. Sonko accused CAF of deliberately stalling the process to let the tournament proceed without addressing his concerns.

“It is unfortunate that in this digital era we are being told to take a physical copy to Cairo. All we are asking for is justice for Harambee Stars, nothing more. They may proceed with the matches, but we shall ensure such atrocities never happen again,” Sonko declared.

He vowed to escalate the matter, saying the outcome of his case would shape the future of football rulings across Africa.

“The way this case is handled will determine how the future of football is addressed whenever such cases arise. I will not relent,” he affirmed.