The shirts of the Moroccan club RS Berkane have become the subject of “massive passion” after they caused a dispute with Algeria that led to the cancellation of the two semi-final matches of the African Confederation Cup, because they included a map of Morocco merged with the disputed Western Sahara.
These shirts, whether in orange, white or black versions, decorated the sides of the municipal stadium of the city of Berkane, located in eastern Morocco near the border with Algeria, on the occasion of hosting USM Algiers in the return match on Sunday evening.
While the club’s fans raised a “Tifo” containing the map of Morocco and the Kingdom’s slogan, “God, Homeland, King,” while many of them were decorated with national flags.
But the match was canceled, as was the first leg, which was scheduled for April 21, due to this dispute.
A representative of the company that distributes the shirts, Ibrahim Rabiei, confirmed to Agence France-Presse: “We have received a stream of letters and requests” to acquire them since the outbreak of the dispute over them.
The matter is related to another dispute between the two countries about 50 years ago over the territory of Western Sahara, which Morocco controls about 80% of, while the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, claims it.
It came in the context of severe tension in the two neighbors’ diplomatic relations, as Algeria has severed its diplomatic relations with Rabat since 2021, a tension that has been reflected in the sports field in the recent period.
Pictures of Nahdet Berkane T-shirts began topping social media sites in Morocco since April 19, when Algerian customs confiscated them at Houari Boumediene Airport. The president of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), Walid Sadi, subsequently announced that “high-quality shirts” would be provided without the Moroccan map.
But the Moroccan team refused to confiscate its shirts, so the match was canceled and then the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to lose the Algerian club 0-3.
This incident had an “unexpected impact,” according to Tawfiq Djait, an Nahdet Berkane fan, speaking to Agence France-Presse in a T-shirt shop. Its price is 200 dirhams (about 19 dollars).
He added, “This incident gave the shirt an international dimension, which aroused great interest among football fans.”
Sufyan Al-Qurashi recalls that the image of the Moroccan map on the chest of the shirt “has been part of its official design for three years. It is not something new, but it has been an element of the team’s identity for several years.”
On the other hand, Algerian media reported that Federation President Sadi had filed a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland against the decision of the African Union bodies to allow Nahdet Berkane “to wear a shirt with a political slogan on it.”
According to Al-Khabar newspaper, the Algerian Federation hired five lawyers from France, Italy and Switzerland who had previously argued similar cases.
Despite the controversy raised by Nahdet Berkane’s shirts, his Tunisian coach Moin Chaabani regrets that he lost the opportunity to compete in two matches, saying: “We have not played any official or friendly match for about 20 days.”
He added, “We will try to compensate with training.”
In the final, he will face Egyptian club Zamalek.
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