Moroccan Soccer Team Detained in Algeria Over Jersey Dispute

The welcome of the Moroccan club Renaissance de Berkane at Houari Boumédiène airport in Algeria on Friday was not the most pleasant. The technical staff and players were held hostage for long hours because they had refused to separate from their jerseys containing a map of Morocco including the Sahara or to cover them with stickers. Faced with the refusal of the Moroccans, law enforcement officers confiscated the outfits before forcing the Moroccan delegation to join the hotel where they were to be accommodated "manu militari". In the aftermath, the insults rained down. "We don’t want you here. Get out!" shouted one of the senior Algerian police officers.

The Algerian authorities have promised the Moroccan delegation that it will recover the confiscated jerseys this Saturday at the hotel where it is staying. "However, and if this commitment is not honored, the club has decided to return to the airport and, if necessary, to Morocco," said Mohamed Tlaghi, a member of the Berkane delegation, to Radio Mars.

Renaissance de Berkane will face Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger (USMA) on Sunday, April 21, 2024, as part of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals. As for the return leg, it will take place on Sunday, April 28.