Olympic Tensions Rise as Algeria Urges IOC to Address Morocco Dispute

In a letter dated April 29, addressed to the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, and of which Le Point has a copy, the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee expressed its concern about Algeria’s participation in the final qualification phases of the Paris Olympic Games. It asked the International Olympic Committee to remind all Olympic committees individually to strictly respect the Olympic Charter, particularly Article 50: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."

For the Algerian Olympic officials, it would be "wise and appropriate" to prevent the importation of political conflicts into the Olympic sporting arena, especially as the Paris Olympic Games approach, the letter adds.

Will tensions between Rabat and Algiers intensify? "Away from the media spotlight and the infernal effervescence of social networks, the contacts are friendly. There is mutual respect between the representatives of the Algerian and Moroccan sports authorities, even under the pressure of political tensions," says a specialized journalist working behind the scenes.