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Rabat – Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national football team, expressed his gratitude towards the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for overturning his four-match suspension.
Regragui clarified that he was penalized over his “strong” handshake with DR Congo player Chancel Mbemba after the end of Morocco and DR Congo’s match in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on January 21.
Pictures and videos documented the incident, which occurred when the coach approached the Congolese captain to shake hands amid a scuffle between Moroccan and Congolese players. However, the player went on to accuse Regragui of making racist remarks towards him.
The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) appealed the CAF Disciplinary Committee’s decision, which included a four-match ban and a fine.
The CAF’s Appeals Committee overturned the decision and acknowledged the coach’s right to greet any player. It added that Regragui should not be punished for a firm handshake.
Speaking during a pre-match conference today, Regragui acknowledged his actions and apologized to Mbemba for the strong grip on his hand.
He stressed that nothing would distract the Moroccan national team’s focus on their upcoming match against South Africa in the tournament’s Round of 16, taking place on Tuesday.
“We are concentrating on the Round of 16 match, and nothing can currently disturb us, neither injuries nor the incident with Congo, nor anything else. We are focused on our mission because we are here in Ivory Coast with a purpose,” Regragui stated.
After the incident with Mbemba ensued, Regragui has been subjected to disturbing death threats, notably due to the Congolese players’ claims that the coach made racist comments towards him.
Regragui strongly denied the accusations, saying: “I really did not like these dishonest claims … I held his hand, and he started screaming as is evident in pictures and the widely circulated videos.”
In multiple interviews since the incident, however, both the coach and player have indicated that they wish to put the incident behind them for the good of their teams to focus on upcoming matches in the competition.
