The semi-finals of the second-largest tournament on the Black Continent rekindled old territorial disputes between Morocco and neighboring Algeria.
When the Berkane team arrived to play their first match against Alger in Algeria last week, customs officers confiscated the team’s uniforms at the airport.
The Algerians stumbled upon the contours of the map of Morocco depicted on the latter, which also includes the disputed region of Western Sahara.
This former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco, while Algeria supports groups fighting for the independence of Western Sahara. The antagonism reached such a level that in 2021, Rabat and Algeria broke off diplomatic relations.
Just before the start of the match, it was announced that the “Berkane” team does not agree to wear other uniforms and will not step on the grass in Algeria.
The Moroccan club filed a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) about the host’s actions, which upheld it and awarded Alger a 0-3 technical defeat.
As a result, the Algerians, despite traveling to Morocco, left the stadium before the scheduled start of the second leg in protest this week, earning yet another technical defeat.
Ultimately, Alger, along with its national football federation, appealed to the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, challenging CAF’s decisions and complaining about the opponents’ uniforms conveying a “political message”.
At the time, there were reports from Morocco of a sharp increase in sales of the Berkane T-shirts that caused the scandal.
The same design has been used by the Moroccan club for the past three years.
If CAS does not change the situation, the Confederations Cup finals will be held in Berkane on May 12 and 19. will play Egyptian football heavyweight Zamalek Giza.
Tags: Politics rid football team dressed customs officials refused step field
