The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has strongly denounced and condemned the “malicious acts” and “abject maneuvers” that marred the opening of the African Nations Championship for local players (CHAN), Friday in Algeria.
The CHAN is now another opportunity for host country Algeria to show its hostility towards Morocco, and politicize the sporting event.
The grandson of the late Nelson Mandela was received Friday by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and took the opportunity to express the political position of his country and Algeria’s during his opening speech.
“Let’s fight to free Western Sahara from oppression,” he said, calling the territory “the last colony in Africa.”
In reaction, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation denounced in a statement, “the malicious actions and abject maneuvers that accompanied the opening of the CHAN.”
The FRMF notes “the flagrant violation of the laws governing football events that take place under the banner of the CAF, following a speech out of context to pass political untruths that have nothing to do with football.”
Consequently, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation announces that it has written to the continental football federation CAF to assume its full responsibilities in the face of these flagrant breaches of the principles and ethics of sportsmanship.
In a statement published on its website, the FRMF was outraged by the “provocative and surreal speech that has flouted the rules governing the organization of soccer events under the auspices of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).”
?بلاغ الجامعة الملكية المغربية لكرة القدم pic.twitter.com/maU4S5gp5A
— FRMF (@FRMFOFFICIEL) January 14, 2023
“The FRMF rejects the racist remarks made by fans present at the opening ceremony against the Moroccan public known throughout the world for its civic-mindedness,” the statement added.
“The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has sent a letter to CAF which is called upon to “assume full responsibility for these flagrant transgressions that have no link with the principles and values of football.”
The FRMF also complained about the racist slogans chanted by the Algerian spectators, in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, the crowd at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki repeatedly chanted “give him bananas, give him bananas….”
“The FRMF rejects the racist remarks of the fans present at the opening ceremony towards the Moroccan public,” said the federation, as the racist slogans and the politicized opening speech caused strong reactions among internet users in the MENA region.
The Moroccan team is not participating in the tournament because the Atlas Bears’ plane was not allowed to enter Algerian airspace.
Moroccan Lawyers’ Club to take legal action
The Club of Lawyers in Morocco has just announced its intention to refer to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee “to denounce the political instrumentalization of the opening ceremony of the CHAN 2023 as well as the racist remarks chanted against the Moroccan people.”
Mourad Elajouti, lawyer at the bar of Casablanca and president of the Club of Lawyers of Morocco made the announcement on Twitter, claiming the Algerian soccer federation (FAF) risks exclusion from FIFA.
1/6 Le Club des Avocats au Maroc va saisir la commission de discipline de La FIFA pour dénoncer l’instrumentalisation politique de la cérémonie d’ouverture du CHAN 2023 ainsi que les propos racistes scandés à l’encontre du peuple marocain. La FAF risque l’exclusion.
— Mourad Elajouti (@Elajouti) January 15, 2023
Elajouti explains that “Article 52 paragraph 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code states that ‘any person or authority may bring to the attention of the jurisdictional bodies of FIFA the conduct it considers contrary to the regulations of FIFA’.”
He added that article 60 of the regulations on stadium safety and security states that the promotion or announcement of political messages or any political action in the stadium or in the vicinity of the stadium by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
In addition, article 4 of the federation’s statutes states that “any discrimination against a country, an individual or a group of people for reasons of ethnic or geographical origin or for any other reason is expressly prohibited, under penalty of suspension or exclusion.”
For Elajouti, the Algerian Football Federation(FAF) is “entirely responsible for these despicable actions, and FIFA must react in accordance with the regulations on safety and security of stadiums to condemn any provocative and aggressive action and any racist speech.”
“The Lawyers Club in Morocco denounces the odious and repulsive behavior of a mercenary and pseudo-petitioner from South Africa paid to promote hatred and terrorism,” concludes Elajouti.
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