Africa-Football: To Play or Not to Play, that’s USM Alger’s Dilemma
Algerian club “USM Alger” are facing a serious dilemma. They are torn between refusing to play the 2nd leg of their African Confederation Cup semifinal match in Berkane against local Moroccan club, Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB), and risk heavy sanctions or play against RSB with their jerseys displaying a small map of Morocco, including the Sahara, and face retribution by the ruling junta.
The Algerian club has lost all appeals lodged with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which has declared Berkane the 0-3 winner of CAF Cup first leg semi-final match that was cancelled last week in Algiers after Algerian authorities seized the jerseys of the Moroccan club and blocked their access to the soccer field in blatant violation of CAF statutes, in addition to documented harassment and intimidation acts.
Although the Berkani shirts have been approved by CAF and comply with its regulations, the Algerian authorities refused to release them saying they display Morocco’s undivided map, including Moroccan Sahara.
The Algerian football federation has also failed to facilitate the urgent delivery of the kits to Berkane as required by CAF and violated copyrights and trademark laws by replicating the official shirts of the RSB without the Moroccan map.
Thus, the CAF decided to forfeit the first-leg semi-final match as a 0-3 defeat for USM Alger, dealing a hard blow to the feckless Algerian regime which continues to mix sports with politics in a bid to deflect the public attention from the proclamation of Kabylia independence and deepening political and socioeconomic crises.
On Friday, Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger arrived in Morocco for their 2nd leg semi-final match of the African Confederation Cup. Upon arrival at Oujda airport, the Algerian team received a warm welcome and were greeted with milk and dates by officials of the Moroccan club.
On Saturday, UMS Alger and RSB officials held a coordination meeting in presence of a CAF delegate. During the meeting, the Moroccan club affirmed that they will play Sunday with their official shirts, displaying in the chest area Morocco’s undivided map, including the Sahara.
As expected, the managers of the Algerian club voiced opposition without saying they would boycott the game as they did openly before on several occasions. The CAF representative dismissed their position, saying the African football governing body has already issued a ruling on the subject- matter.
The same day, the players of the Algerian club visited the Berkane stadium and warmed up on the pitch, suggesting that the Sunday match will take place as planned, while several Algerian news outlets and social media platforms say UMS Alger will stand down. However, some analysts advise caution saying it is likely that the Algerian press reports seek to mislead the Moroccan club players and let them down their guard.
Heavy fines and tough sanctions, including suspension, are facing the Algerian club and Algerian football federation if their 2nd leg semi-final game of the African Confederation Cup is cancelled, causing serious financial loss to CAF sponsors and TV broadcasters.
Now, the Algerian officials are weighing all their options after they have been trapped by their misdeeds and politically-incorrect acts. They know they will pay high price if they continue going in their irrational pathway. They cannot afford breaking up ties with the Confederation of African football to add to their already strained relations with all their neighbors and partners.
To limit the incurred damage and spare the Algerian football federation a crippling ban, it is likely that the Algerian rulers let UMS Alger stay the course in order to focus on challenging CAF rulings made in favor of the Moroccan club following the 1st leg semi-final game played at home.
