Tensions flared at the Algiers airport as players and staff from Berkane Renaissance found themselves unexpectedly blocked from entering Algerian territory.
The Algerian airport authorities, without providing any official explanation, prevented the Moroccan delegation from proceeding further. The cause? The contentious issue of the team's jersey, with a graphical representation of the map of Morocco.
The Algerian regime reacts strongly whenever it encounters the official geographic map of Morocco, particularly if it includes the Moroccan Sahara. Such was the scenario on a recent Friday morning when airport personnel meticulously inspected the Berkane Renaissance delegation's belongings, specifically targeting the team's jerseys. Their mission: to locate the emblematic map that incorporates the Moroccan Sahara. This map, intrinsic to the identity of not just Berkane but all Moroccan teams, serves as a symbol both domestically and internationally, recognized by bodies such as the CAF (Confederation of African Football) and other sports organizations.
In an unprecedented move, the airport controllers seized the jerseys, effectively using them as evidence to impede the Moroccan delegation within the confines of Algiers airport. The timing couldn't be more crucial, as the Moroccan team was en route to play the first leg of the African Confederation Cup semi-final against USM Alger on Sunday, April 21, at 8 PM. The intervention of CAF is urgently sought, as these actions appear to be aimed at disrupting the Moroccan team's preparations—a move widely perceived as having little to do with the spirit of sportsmanship.
