CAPE TOWN, March 17 (Reuters) - Morocco have been ⁠declared Africa Cup of Nations champions after their appeal over the result of January’s final was upheld, with Senegal stripped of the ⁠title, the Confederation of African Football said on Tuesday.

Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the game in Rabat on January 18 by ‌staging a walk-off near the end when a penalty was awarded against them.

They returned after a farcical 14-minute protest, with Pape Gueye scoring in extra time, to take the title. However, on Tuesday they were declared the losers of the game while a 3-0 score was recorded in Morocco’s favour by CAF's Appeal Board.

The decision adds to the controversy of the final, ​where the walk-off and fighting between players and spectators severely tarnished the image of African football, ⁠CAF admitted days later.

CAF’s Disciplinary Board had rejected Morocco’s initial ⁠protest, but the appeal board found in their favour, although Senegal quickly said they would be taking the matter to the Swiss-based Court of ⁠Arbitration ‌for Sport, seeking to overturn Tuesday's decision.

The Appeal Board found the conduct of the Senegal team fell “within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations”, which state that “if, for any reason whatsoever, a team refuses to play or leaves the ⁠ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it ​shall be considered the loser and shall be ‌eliminated for good from the current competition”.