Morocco Withdraws from CHAN 2023 Amid Flight Dispute with Algeria

15 January 2023 – bySylvanus@Bladi · 1 min read

In the eyes of the Algerian sports commentator for beIN Sports, Hafid Derradji, Morocco missed the opportunity to score points at the expense of Algeria, the host country of the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2023). The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) had requested that the Atlas Lions travel to Constantine, the host city of Morocco’s matches, via a direct flight from Rabat on a Royal Air Maroc (RAM) plane, but it was met with a refusal from the Algerian authorities.

In a message posted on social media, the Algerian journalist and sports commentator for beIN Sports claims that Algeria was well aware that Morocco was trying to obtain an "imaginary diplomatic victory by" seeking to "break the air embargo" through its request. But the neighbor to the East was intransigent and inflexible. As a result, the reigning champions, the Atlas Lions, are not participating in the CHAN 2023 currently taking place on Algerian territory.

According to the Algerian journalist, there were still possibilities that were open to Morocco. "It was possible to enter through Tunisia, as the Moroccan delegation participating in the Mediterranean Games did," he says, adding that the Moroccan authorities could also have accepted the Algerian proposal, which was transmitted to them by the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It was a matter of traveling directly from Rabat to Algeria by another non-prohibited flight.

Category: Sport

Keywords:

Football Algeria Royal Moroccan Football Federation African Nations Championship