Are the penalties sufficient to eliminate "hooliganism" in Moroccan stadiums?
The Central Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation decided to impose a series of punitive sanctions against the clubs of the Royal Army and Raja Casablanca, following the incidents of violence at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
These sanctions include a decision for the Royal Army team to play 5 matches without fans, and the club is prohibited from hosting its matches at the "Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex" in Rabat until the end of the current season (except for continental and international matches).
These sanctions revive the discussion about "removing the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium and various World Cup stadiums from league matches, in light of the ongoing phenomenon of violence."
Abdel Latif Metoukel, a sports expert, stated that "the serious acts of violence witnessed during the match between the Royal Army and Raja were expected and not surprising for those who follow the current situation; due to the prevailing relationships of tension, hostility, and ongoing hatred among certain segments of the fans, which are clearly visible daily through social media platforms."
Metoukel rejected, in a statement to Hespress, the logic of "removing league fans from the stadiums of the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup in Morocco under the pretext of preserving them," indicating that "the audience should be accepted with its flaws and positives."
The sports expert pointed out the existence of severe organizational shortcomings that led to these direct clashes between the two fan bases; which necessitates determining responsibilities and evaluating shortcomings to address this scourge, emphasizing the need for "a rational and serious approach to dealing with fans."
Metoukel cited the successful organization of the first leg match in Casablanca, which took place under excellent conditions thanks to proactive measures; while the situation in the second leg match was "open" and unregulated, allowing for the chaos that tarnishes the image and reputation of Moroccan sports.
Aziz Daouda, a sports expert, expressed his "strong condemnation of the events that he described as unrelated to the spirit of football," affirming that the game is innocent of these disgraceful behaviors.
Daouda noted that the match was characterized by sportsmanship among players and referees; however, a certain group, which cannot be described as true fans, had premeditated intentions to commit acts of vandalism and assault.
The same speaker confirmed that the authorities overseeing the league have the full legal right and responsibility to issue sanctions to ensure proper organization, explaining that security measures were clear with significant buffer zones; but this group deliberately broke barriers to confront the other fan base, which is considered a blatant criminal act that exceeds the limits of sports encouragement.
Full article is available on Hesspress Sports.
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