Algeria’s Media Attacks on Morocco Overshadow Africa Cup of Nations Coverage

Algeria has let political partisanship take precedence over sport. Algerian media have launched attacks against personalities and governing bodies of Moroccan football during the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. These media campaigns "are intentional and deliberate", analyzes Issam Laaroussi, professor of international relations and conflict resolution, adding that "the Algerian media have fallen into the trap of confusing sport with politics".

"The Algerian media, official and unofficial, have been involved in subjects that have nothing to do with a fair competition. This has already happened after Algeria hosted Mandela’s grandson during the opening ceremony of the African Nations Championship, or the ban on the Moroccan plane in Algerian airspace," recalled the expert in statements to Al Ayyam 24, noting that this media campaign has no other objective than to "disrupt Morocco’s progress and involve sports officials in subjects unrelated to sport".

Laaroussi also recalled the case of the Algerian coach of Tanzania who "made hostile statements against the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, which led to his sanction by the Confederation of African Football, thus showing how much this state is entangled in problems far removed from sport".