The 2023-24 CAF Confederation Cup semifinal round became the focus of controversy over the weekend and to many who follow African football or politics, it was little surprise which two nations were involved when the first clash was suspended between Morocco’s RS Berkane and first leg hosts USM Alger of Algeria. RSB arrived for the match in Algeria after promoting a specially designed jersey that featured an outline of Morocco which included the highly disputed territory of Western Sahara.
The controversial jersey of RS Berkane featuring an outline of Morocco that includes the disputed region of Western Sahara, one of multiple political issues between Morocco and neighbors Algeria
Algerian authorities seized the jersey upon RSB’s arrival in the country and the Moroccan club consequently refused to play on Sunday, leaving the status of the tie in doubt as protests and controversy continue to build. The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) submitted a formal protest against the jerseys that was reportedly rejected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), making it appear that USM Alger will be the recipients of punishment. However the FAF is taking the issue further to FIFA and potentially the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which leaves the status of the semifinal clash up in the air.
Of course, it is necessary to understand the reasons why the RSB jersey is so controversial. Western Sahara is a territory to the south of Morocco of which 80% is controlled by the Moroccan government with the remaining 20% of the territory presently under the control of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The Moroccan people and government strongly believe that the entire Western Sahara is rightfully and legally part of the country, a position that is firmly reinforced by the country’s Parliament and public comments from King Mohammed VI. Algeria continues to support the SADR politically and financially and presently hosts the Western Sahara government in the refugee camp of Tindouf, located in Algeria close to its borders with Morocco and Western Sahara.
This piece is not meant to take a side on the Western Sahara dispute but this political issue is one of many between the North African neighbors, making any meeting between football clubs from the two countries tense and contentious due to the high level of passion both nations have for football. The withdrawal of Morocco from the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) hosted by Algeria was a recent flashpoint that brought the strained relationship between the two countries into full view. Another incident arrived at the recently completed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast when Morocco prepared to play Tanzania in the group stage and Tanzania’s Algerian coach, Adel Amrouche, was fined by CAF and suspended by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) after pre-match comments accusing Morocco of having too much influence in CAF to the point where the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) is capable of influencing the scheduling and refereeing of matches.
Therefore, a high stakes semifinal match between clubs from the two countries was always going to be filled with tension. It is a naïve sentiment that it is possible to keep politics out of football and matches involving the national teams or club sides of Algeria and Morocco are a visible example. However, it is difficult to see the release and promotion of this jersey before the match by RS Berkane, presumably endorsed by the FRMF, as anything other than a clear political provocation that invited the resulting drama that is taking place this week. With the lack of action from CAF regarding the protest submitted by the Algerian federation, it is clear that this is an issue which will grow in magnitude and result in arbitration as well as further controversy.
The USM Alger team walks out for Sunday’s first leg match. Supporters of the Algerian club arrived to show support despite knowing that RS Berkane was highly unlikely to arrive at the stadium.
Algerian football and the country’s football federation have had several good and bad moments in recent years. Controversial refereeing decisions against the Algeria national team in matches like their heartbreaking second leg defeat against Cameroon in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff led to the disgraceful treatment and abuse of Gambian match official Bakary Gassama as he departed the country. Gassama was also confronted by irate Algeria national team coach Djamel Belmadi when the two happened to come across each other at a Turkish airport after the incident.
This was one of several controversial incidents involving Algeria that resulted in frivolous protests from the Algerian federation to CAF that appeared to be done more out of spite rather than having any sort of legal justification. The withdrawal of Morocco from the 2022 CHAN as well as the poor treatment of Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca when they arrived in the country to face JS Kabylie during the 2022-23 CAF Champions League group stage are other examples of when Algerian football authorities and clubs appeared eager to provoke rather than properly administrate. At the same time, Algeria is eager to have a more prominent role as a host of top African football competitions which includes submitting bids to host the Africa Cup of Nations as well as praise from CAF president Patrice Motsepe for the high quality of their venues at the 2022 CHAN.
Algeria drew praise for its impressive venues, including the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers pictured above, which were on full display at the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN)
On the other side, Morocco are highly influential in African football as seen by the awarding of hosting rights to the country for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The efforts of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, led by president Fouzi Lekjaa, are bearing fruit for Moroccan football which continues to emerge as the face of African football following the national team’s fourth place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and continued success for the country’s top clubs like RS Berkane and Wydad AC of Casablanca.
Lekjaa, notably a native of Berkane and former president of RS Berkane, continues to be the figurehead of Moroccan football’s growing prominence. The Confederation of African Football’s headquarters is in Cairo, Egypt but the evidence is clear that Morocco is the North African country currently in the spotlight. Bringing things back to the dispute from Sunday, it is clear that Lekjaa had no issues with his former club using these special edition jerseys and many Moroccans were vocal in their support on social media ahead of the match.
FRMF president Fouzi Lekjaa (right), pictured with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Lekjaa is an important figure in the continuing rise of Moroccan football and has become a powerful influence in African football.
However, this stunt involving the kit of RS Berkane is an entirely avoidable and unnecessary incident that is the latest in a political and football rivalry that continues to escalate with these tit-for-tat moments. There are reports of behavior from the USM Alger supporters, many of whom arrived to the stadium to show support, that are not flattering with anti-Moroccan chants. But the fact remains that there was absolutely no reason for RS Berkane to highlight a political issue that needs to be resolved in international political forums rather than in football stadiums. Both sides feel very passionately about the Western Sahara dispute and considering that these jerseys were sanctioned by both Moroccan football authorities and CAF through its rejection of the Algerian federation’s protest, it feels like an overaggressive show of strength from Moroccan football and a moment when African football authorities failed to adhere to their rules against politics in the sport as a supposedly neutral party.
Now, CAF has put itself in a position where it must come up with a decision and punishment that will surely be highly disputed and likely contested to the higher authority of FIFA and the even more powerful entity of the CAS. These sorts of incidents will continue to occur between North African rivals and if CAF cannot develop a proper response framework or show that it is impartial, then accusations of favoritism towards certain national federations from countries like Algeria will not merely be conspiracy theories without basis.
