The Algerian Federation dissolves into Morocco amid political provocations – New Algeria

The Ittihad Alger club delegation arrived in Morocco this Friday afternoon to face Nahdet Berkane club, next Sunday, for the second leg of the semi-finals of the African Confederation Cup.

The Algerian Federation mission’s flight was to the Moroccan city of Oujda, on board an Egyptian Airlines plane. The Algerian representative’s members will spend the night in one of the hotels in the city of Saidia, in northeastern Morocco, close to the city of Berkane.

The reaction of the Moroccan fans when the members of the USMA delegation left the “Oujda-Angad” airport was a mixture of expressions of welcome such as “Hello USM” and provocative political slogans chanted by another group of fans, referring to the occupied Western Sahara.

The officials of the Algerian club USM Al-Asimah preferred to move to Morocco and participate in the sporting confrontation, despite the injustice suffered by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which announced last Wednesday that RS Berkane had won the first leg with a score of 3-0.

The first leg was scheduled for last Sunday, at the “July 5, 1962” Olympic Stadium in Algiers, for the first leg of the semi-final of the African Confederation Cup.

But the match did not take place. This is because Nahdet Berkane Club refused to play the match using the alternative shirts provided by the Algerian Football Federation. He insisted on playing the match with the shirts he came with from Morocco and were detained by Algerian customs, upon the delegation’s arrival at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers, last Friday.

These shirts were detained because they contained a political slogan that included a “fake map” of Morocco with the occupied territory of Western Sahara added to it.

The Algerian Federation preferred to play the second leg in the city of Berkane, to avoid additional penalties from “CAF”, which could amount to being banned from participating in African competitions for a period of four years.

CAF announces a new unfair decision against the Capital Union

The arrival of the Algerian club Ittihad Algeria to Morocco coincided with the announcement of a new unjust decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). On Friday evening, CAF wrote to the Algerian Football Federation, FAF, to inform it that its appeal regarding the decision of the Competition and Clubs Committee had been rejected. Taken on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, regarding the first leg of the Confederation Cup competition.

Ittihad Al-Capital Club is still hoping to recover its rights from the competent international sports bodies, as the President of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadi, is currently in Switzerland to defend the club before the Ethics Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). And also at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TASS).

The Algerian Federation hopes for justice from international bodies

The Algerian Football Federation has filed a complaint with FIFA and TASS. This is because CAF did not respect or abide by the laws of the International Football Association.

It is considered CAF decision“Unfair to the Algerian club Ittihad. This is because the laws are clear regarding the issue of shirts. So, the competition rules of the Confederation of African Football stipulate, in Chapter Six regarding players’ shirts, that they must wear a shirt permitted by the host country. It stresses that it is in accordance with the regulations.

The regulations stipulate in the seventh paragraph that each visiting team must bring two types of kits. So the second kit does not contain any advertising or publicity.

As for the laws of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 2, prohibit the use of any political symbols. Or religious or what distinguishes between any country, person or group because of race, religion or politics.

FIFA laws ensure that sports equipment does not contain any political, religious or personal logos, statements or images. Anyone who uses it will be punished.

Through its regulations, FIFA is committed to remaining neutral in political and religious matters. Therefore, what happened to Nahdet Berkane Club violated its regulations, as FIFA adheres to international laws. It cannot allow the adoption of a map that is not approved by the United Nations or the African Union.

According to Article 50 of the Olympic Charter (paragraph 2), “any political, religious or ethnic slogan or propaganda is not permitted in a place, location or any Olympic facility.”