CAF AFCON Saga: 5 times championship titles were decided after final whistle

In sport, the final whistle is supposed to settle everything. Trophies are lifted, medals awarded, and history seemingly written in stone. Yet, in rare and often controversial circumstances, governing bodies have stepped in after the fact to overturn final results, stripping winners and rewriting outcomes.

The latest example came at the AFCON 2025 Final, where Senegal were initially crowned champions before being stripped of the title following disciplinary action over a walk-off incident, with Morocco subsequently awarded a 3–0 victory.

Here are five notable instances where sports championship titles did not stand after the final had been played.

1. 2000 Sydney Olympics Women’s 4x400m Relay: USA stripped of gold

The United States team initially celebrated Olympic gold, but years later, the victory was overturned following the doping scandal involving Marion Jones. As a result, the team was stripped of its medal and the title reassigned, marking one of the most high-profile relay disqualifications in Olympic history.

2. 2004 Athens Olympics Men’s Shot Put: Gold reassigned after retest

Ukrainian shot putter Yuriy Bilonog originally stood atop the podium, only for his result to be invalidated years later after a positive doping retest. The gold medal was subsequently awarded to another athlete, reinforcing the long-term impact of anti-doping reviews.

4. CAF Champions League 2019 Final: Title decided after abandonment

The final between Esperance and Wydad Casablanca ended in chaos after a VAR dispute halted play. CAF initially ordered a replay but later reversed that decision and awarded the title to Esperance, effectively settling the outcome off the pitch after the final had collapsed.

5. 2012 London Olympics Women’s 4x400m Relay: Medals reshuffled after doping cases

Jamaica’s women’s 4x400m relay team was elevated from bronze to silver at the London 2012 Olympics after Russia was stripped of its silver medal following a doping violation by Antonina Krivoshapka, the International Olympic Committee announced.

The post CAF AFCON Saga: 5 times championship titles were decided after final whistle appeared first on Vanguard News.