Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Doha – In a move that is not the first of its kind, the Moroccan football club Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RS Berkane) has been denied entry into Algeria for their crucial CAF Confederation Cup semi-final match against USM Alger.
The team, which arrived at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers this morning, was blocked by Algerian authorities due to the presence of a complete map of Morocco, including the Sahara, on their jerseys.
The arbitrary and politically motivated decision by the Algerian authorities has sparked outrage among Moroccans, with many labeling the incident as a “politicization of sports” and a “blatant violation of CAF rules.”
Reports have emerged that not only is the Berkane team stranded at the airport, but their luggage has also been confiscated. Even more disturbing are allegations that some players have been subjected to unjustified searches and checks, in an intolerable assault on their dignity and integrity.
As the players and staff of RS Berkane find themselves trapped in a Kafkaesque situation at the Algiers airport, the fate of the match, originally scheduled for April 21, now hangs in the balance, pending a decision from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This is not the first time that Algerian authorities have taken such drastic measures against Moroccan football teams.
In January 2023, members of Morocco’s national team of local players were forced to leave Rabat-Sale International Airport after Algerian authorities failed to issue approval for the team to travel to Constantine for their group matches in the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The strained relations between Morocco and Algeria, which have persisted for decades, have clearly spilled over into the sporting arena. The Algerian decision to sever ties with Morocco in August 2021, citing misleading reasons such as Rabat’s alleged involvement in the wildfires that ravaged Algeria that summer due to climate change, has only exacerbated the situation.
