The events of Safi and the Cannes final put the issue of football riots on the priority table

At a time when new developments are still coming one by one, and the controversy that followed the riots during the final match between Morocco and Senegal in the final “Can” draw has not yet subsided, the phenomenon reasserted itself again last Sunday evening through similar events that accompanied the match between Olympique Safi and USM Al-Capital, at a delicate moment in which Morocco is experiencing a state of comprehensive mobilization in preparation for hosting the 2030 World Cup.

Specialists in sports affairs, whom Hespress spoke to, confirmed that the recurrence of riots in major matches, whether at the national or club level, reflects clear imbalances in the management of matches on the continent, especially by the Confederation of African Football, which is now required to tighten the laws and implement them more strictly.

Mohamed Abu Al-Sahl, a journalist specializing in sports affairs, considered that what Morocco is experiencing today is linked to its being in a “successful” position within the African football arena, which makes it vulnerable to reactions from parties that feel that this success threatens its balance. He explained that the dynamism that Morocco is witnessing, whether through organizing the African Cup of Nations or preparing to host major international demonstrations, imposes greater awareness of how to deal with these challenges.

Returning to the events of the African Cup of Nations final, Abu Al-Sahl stressed that “Morocco is innocent of the manifestations of violence witnessed in the match,” stating that the responsibility is primarily borne by the Confederation of African Football, in light of what he described as “weak management and lack of strictness in implementing the laws.”

The same spokesman pointed out that there is a common denominator between the events of January 18 and April 19, “which is that the opposing team resorted to using riots as a means of pressure to avoid losing, as what the Capital Union did, whether by some players or the fans, reflects a scenario similar to what happened against the Senegal national team, which contributed to creating great tension that led to the match being unnaturally prolonged.”

The sports journalist also pointed out that “the obstacles faced by the Moroccan fans, especially their denial of visas to travel to Algeria to support Olympique Safi, constituted an early indicator that the atmosphere was not healthy from the beginning,” adding that such practices directly affect equal opportunities.

In the same context, the declarant criticized “the unjustified pressure exerted by the players of the Capital Union Federation on the referee while reviewing the decisions,” highlighting that “these behaviors raise more than one question mark on ‘CAF’ about the effectiveness of the current laws.”