The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has broken its silence regarding the brawl that erupted after the Atlas Lions match against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations group stage.
The FRMF clarified the incident through an official statement, highlighting the exceptional and historical relations between Morocco and the DRC and emphasizing the fraternal ties between the two nations.
The same statement underscored the collaborative relationship between the FRMF and the Congolese Football Federation, pointing to the number of Congolese players playing in Morocco and the existing football partnership agreement between the two federations as a genuine testament to the strong ties.
The federation also denounced all unsportsmanlike actions that followed the match “without entering into the realm of accusations.”
“The Royal Moroccan Football Federation reaffirms its commitment to the values of sportsmanship, ethics, and fair play, highlighting that these events will not affect the fraternal bonds between the two countries in any way,” the statement concluded.
The incident started when Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, was verbally attacked by Congo captain Chancel Mbemba on the sidelines before the match concluded, he told the French newspaper L’Equipe.
Regragui claimed that Mbemba, instead of reciprocating the gesture, avoided the handshake and insulted him with racist remarks, leading to a physical altercation captured in pictures.
“I never uttered any racist words against him. He talks about religion, so let him be honest with himself,” Regragui said, responding to Mbemba’s post-match statements.
Mbemba refused to comment on the matter, saying that “God was a witness to the truth about the incident.”
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