The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reportedly dismissed its Director of Refereeing, Désiré Noumandiez Doué, in the wake of bitter fallout from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final that saw Nigeria crowned champions for the tenth time.
The decision to part ways with Doué follows an official protest lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which alleged “critical officiating errors” during the dramatic final in Rabat.
Hosts Morocco were beaten 3–2 by Nigeria after the Atlas Lionesses squandered a two-goal lead. Although Doué did not officiate the match himself, his responsibility for referee appointments has come under scrutiny.
The final was officiated by Namibia’s Antsino Twanyanyukwa, supported by assistants from Rwanda and Senegal, with Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga overseeing the VAR.
Controversy erupted after Morocco were denied what they believed to be a clear penalty and were left incensed by what they termed a “soft” penalty awarded to the Super Falcons.
The FRMF submitted a video dossier to CAF, highlighting multiple contentious decisions that, in their view, unfairly shaped the outcome of the match.
After the match, Morocco coach Jorge Vilda voiced his frustration, telling ESPN: “We saw images that showed clear contact, but the referee overturned her own call. It impacted our players psychologically. It was a massive blow.”