CAF obliges USM to intervene and hand over RS ​​Berkane shirts, or officially lose the match

Agadir 24 | Agadir24

The crisis with the detention of RS Berkane shirts raises a wave of controversy and puts CAF before a difficult test

The incident of the detention of the jerseys of the Moroccan team RS Berkane at Algiers airport by the Algerian authorities caught the attention of the world, and sparked a wave of controversy and anger in the Moroccan and Arab sports community.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) intervened and called on the Algerian Federation to intervene with the Algerian authorities to hand over the shirts to the Moroccan team before the scheduled match between the two teams in the group stage of the African Confederation Cup.

Details of the shirt detention crisis:

The delegation of the Moroccan team RS Berkane arrived at Algiers Airport on the evening of Tuesday, April 18, 2024, in preparation for facing the Algerian team USM Algiers in the group stage of the African Confederation Cup.

Moroccan team officials were surprised that the Algerian authorities confiscated their shirts at the airport, under the pretext that they bore the map of Morocco. RS Berkane officials refused to receive other jerseys from the USM Capital team, and considered this an attempt to insult Morocco and disrupt their participation in the match.

CAF intervention to resolve the crisis:

Faced with this situation, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) intervened and called on the Algerian Federation to intervene with the Algerian authorities to hand over the shirts to the Moroccan team before the scheduled match between the two teams.

CAF stressed the need to respect the principles of fair play and sportsmanship, stressing that any attempt to hinder any team’s participation in the tournament will be met with strict penalties.

The position of the Capital Union and the Algerian authorities:

The Algerian Federation of the Capital confirmed its readiness to cooperate with CAF and the Algerian authorities to resolve this crisis, indicating that it bears no responsibility for the detention of Nahdet Berkane shirts, and no official statements have been issued by the Algerian authorities regarding this incident yet.

Potential effects of the crisis:

This crisis may lead to the postponement or cancellation of the match between RS Berkane and USMA, and CAF may expose USMA to sporting sanctions.

This incident may cast a shadow on sports relations between Morocco and Algeria.

This incident is a dangerous precedent in the history of African football, and raises questions regarding the extent of African countries’ commitment to the principles of fair play and sportsmanship.