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Rabat – The future of Olympic Safi, a Moroccan football club, remains uncertain after the club’s management board rejected president Mohammed Al-Haydawi’s resignation request on Sunday.
Al-Haydawi submitted his resignation for personal reasons the day before, casting a shadow over the club amidst ongoing fallout from a 2022 World Cup ticket scandal.
The club’s official statement cited “ethical and objective considerations” for rejecting the resignation, highlighting Al-Haydawi’s “active role” and “significant efforts in serving the club, both materially and morally.”
The board expressed concern that accepting the resignation at this critical juncture, nearing the end of the football season, would negatively impact club operations.
This decision comes just months after Al-Haydawi was sentenced by the Casablanca Court of Appeal to eight months in prison for his involvement in a scandal involving the disappearance of tickets designated for Moroccan fans during the Morocco-France World Cup semi-final. The sentence was reduced from an initial 18 months.
The scandal erupted in December 2022 when thousands of Moroccan fans struggled to obtain tickets despite the Moroccan Royal Football Federation’s pledge to distribute 13,000 free tickets.
Al-Haydawi, along with journalist Adel El Omari, was accused of attempted fraud and selling tickets on the black market. While El Omari was acquitted of fraud charges, he was ordered to pay a fine of MAD 30,000 (over $3,000)
The management board’s rejection of Al-Haydawi’s resignation suggests a desire for continuity despite the lingering clouds of the scandal. However, it remains unclear whether Al-Haydawi will continue to lead the club long-term.
The club faces the challenge of navigating the remainder of the season while questions linger about its leadership.
