Rabat – Raja Casablanca’s Algerian player Yousri Bouzok has reportedly refused to take part in tonight’s CAF Champions League match against AS FAR due to his team’s jersey, which features Morocco’s full map including its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
Le 360 quoted “sources close to the club” as saying that Bouzok, a key player for the team, expressed concerns about possible repercussions from Algerian authorities upon his return home. This has led him to request to be excluded from the game, added the report.
The game is taking place today at 8 p.m. local time at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli in Casablanca. Raja Casablanca has yet to release the official squad list for the match.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of controversies surrounding the inclusion of Morocco’s full map on club jerseys.
Earlier this year, a similar controversy emerged with RS Berkane’s jersey. The incident occurred when Algeria denied entry to the team’s delegation after landing at the Houari Boumediene Airport for a game against USMA Alger.
Algerian security confiscated the team’s equipment, including the jerseys, and left them stranded at the airport for hours. The delegation ended up returning to Morocco after Algerian authorities refused to return their equipment for the game to take place. As a result, the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final was canceled.
The second leg of the match, which was set to take place in Morocco, was also canceled after USMA Alger players refused to participate in the game.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) affirmed the legitimacy of RS Berkane’s jersey and fined USMA $40,000 for refusing to participate in the two games.
