The University of the Air reveals details of the escape of two Moroccan players during the "World Cup in the Netherlands."
The Royal Moroccan Volleyball Federation has broken its silence regarding the incident of players fleeing from the national under-18 team camp in The Hague, Netherlands, during their participation in the recent World Championship, marking the first official clarification after the incident that has brought back to light the phenomenon of some Moroccan athletes leaving national delegations during international competitions.
The national team's participation in this event witnessed the departure of players from the Moroccan camp, specifically Othman Biadi and his teammate Mohamed Al-Bayari, both of whom are only 16 years old.
Abdelhamid Al-Waqwaq, the deputy president of the Royal Moroccan Volleyball Federation, stated in an interview with "Hesport": "We have been working for years with these players to hone their talents and develop their skills, despite the difficulties faced by the sport in terms of resources and support."
He added: "It is not easy to train a player capable of reaching a world-class level in a sport that does not enjoy sufficient popularity or the support it deserves. When we succeed in qualifying him to participate in the World Beach Volleyball Championship, we are surprised by irresponsible behavior manifested in leaving the camp to settle illegally in a European country."
Al-Waqwaq explained that the federation took all necessary measures since the arrival of the national team delegation in The Hague, adding: "We kept the players' passports and were in constant communication with them, but the International Federation's regulations require, as competitions approach, that players stay in a designated area, while the administrative and technical staff stay in another location close to their accommodation."
He continued: "All indications suggest that the escape was carefully planned, and I do not rule out that at least one of the players' families was aware of what happened in advance and may have contributed to the planning."
