Since 2016, two administrative offices have been competing for the management of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Badminton (FRMBA). In 2018, justice decided in favor of the list led by Marouane Bichi. In 2020, an appeal judgment allowed the latter to recover the premises of the Federation, which his predecessor had to release. Today, badminton professionals denounce a persistent crisis.
Mohamed El Ghouat, president of the Association Volant d’Or Badminton in Marrakech, published a video two weeks ago. He criticizes the existence of “two federations” and a dispute always unresolved. Contacted by our editorial staff several times this Wednesday, the former player and referee remained unreachable.
Driss Bourroum, a professional playing in France but representing Morocco internationally, also published a video calling for a resolution of the crisis by keeping a general meeting. He recalls that the situation led to the freezing of the FRMBA membership by the International Badminton body in 2021.
Players under neutral flag
First athlete to have won a continental title for Morocco in this sport, Driss Bourroum could not wear the national flag during the African Badminton 2025 championships in Douala, where he won a bronze medal. He remembers this moment as particularly “difficult”.
“In 2023, some athletes like me obtained an exemption to play under neutral flag (white), but this choice was very difficult, because it means participating without anthem on the catwalks. The referees, on the other hand, are completely excluded, “he told Yabiladi this Wednesday.
“I try to promote a solution by mediation or a common agreement, but I cannot assume a role that is not mine as an art,” he added.
“We are several players to publicly approach this subject, we have made videos on our social networks. We are in the same boat and believe that a concerted solution will benefit everyone. ”
Driss Bourroum
Also contacted by Yabiladi, the president of the FRMBA, Marouane Bichi, assures that “the General Assembly will be held in the presence of the 54 clubs and members of the Federation, including those who have issued criticism”. According to a correspondence consulted by Yabiladi, the meeting was postponed and then canceled, waiting for an audit report to be added to the necessary documents, including activity and financial reports.
“We are now awaiting the return of the supervisory ministry and as soon as it authorizes us to organize this assembly, we will immediately,” tries to reassure Marouane Bichi. “At the end of this GA, it is planned that the international membership freezing of our body is lifted,” he said.
The FRMBA envisages disciplinary measures
According to Marouane Bichi, “the dispute, if there is any, is not even a financial order since in the past nine years, the Federation has not benefited from public support”. He specifies that the FRMBA “works with its own means and volunteer, in order to promote badminton in Morocco”. “We have neither regular patron nor sponsor, but competent human resources formed at the highest level,” he said.
Regarding the previous internal disputes, Marouane Bichi says that “there are not two royal federations for the same discipline, but there may be a conflict between administrative offices”. “Justice ruled in our favor in 2018 and court documents confirm this, as is our regular correspondence with the supervisory ministry,” he said.
“We have taken note of the recent public declarations of certain parties, which allegedly allegedly allegedly involved disciplinary procedure, even judicial follow -ups. It is up to justice to verify the validity of the remarks made by entities which discuss a situation prior to their membership in the Federation, and which are far from the sporting context. We touched our young players and referees, in an attempted incentive to change nationality. ”
Marouane Bichi – FRMBA
In addition, the president of the federation says he is ready to respond to any possible breach. “We were made to complaints in this direction?” I above all presume an attempt by certain parties who wanted to integrate the administrative office, but which have been refused for objective reasons of eligibility, which were explained to them. In return, we were faced with members of the FRMBA who falsely claimed to international arbitration. I am of course that justice will decide, “said Marouane Bichi.
